CAMBRIDGE, Mass. —
Power was restored to an area of Cambridge late Wednesday night after a series of manhole fires in Harvard Square.
The area was closed to both pedestrians and vehicles following a pair of manhole fires at 9 a.m.. A third fire occurred several hours later.
High levels of carbon monoxide were also detected in nearby businesses, which were evacuated.
Crews were forced to shut off power to control the fires, Eversource spokesperson Chris McKinnon said. Crews restored power to the area just before 11 p.m.
Eversource said the fires were most likely cause by an “underground secondary electric cable fault.” Crews will be working through the next several days to make permanent repairs to the electric equipment.
One firefighter involved in the response suffered an injury unrelated to the explosions and was taken to the hospital, where he’s expected to recover.
Photos provided by witnesses showed heavy smoke rising from a manhole in the middle of the street.