Explosion On New York Street, Misses Pedestrians By Inches

Talk about a close call on a city street in New York.

Emergency crews were called to a startling scene in Poughkeepsie that was seconds from possibly begin fatal.

Reports came into 911 of a manhole explosion on Academy Street just after 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The eruption barely missed a woman and two small children that you can watch in the video below that has over 2 million views.

Two Manholes Blow

When firefighters arrived, they discovered not one, but two manholes had blown — one located halfway down the block and another at the corner of Academy and Church Streets.

The explosions occurred in quick succession.

Miraculously, no injuries were reported as the three pedestrians narrowly missed the blast.

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High Levels of Carbon Monoxide

Dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide inside several nearby buildings were detected by firefighters assessing the situation. Everyone living on the block was evacuated out of an abundance of caution while crews worked to air out the buildings and bring gas levels down to a safe level.

The area was then turned over to Central Hudson, whose personnel remained on site to investigate and monitor the conditions.

While the exact cause of the explosions has not been confirmed, officials believe an underground utility issue may be to blame.

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Academy Street remained closed for several hours as emergency personnel and utility workers worked to ensure the area was safe. Local residents and business owners were allowed to return once the carbon monoxide levels had subsided.

The incident serves as a reminder of the hidden dangers beneath city streets — and the importance of quick action by first responders.

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