Syracuse, NY -- Syracuse firefighters responded to flames shooting out of the underground parking garage of the AXA Equitable twin towers -- formerly the MONY towers -- late Sunday. The fire was reported shortly after 10 p.m. from two manhole covers on Madison Street. Witnesses reported flames and smoke shooting from the ground. An underground transformer exploded, causing the...
Syracuse firefighters respond on to a transformer explosion and fire under Madison Street, near South Warren Street. The Hotel Syracuse is in the rear.Syracuse, NY -- Syracuse firefighters responded to flames shooting out of the underground parking garage of the AXA Equitable twin towers -- formerly the MONY towers -- late Sunday.
The fire was reported shortly after 10 p.m. from two manhole covers on Madison Street. Witnesses reported flames and smoke shooting from the ground.
An underground transformer exploded, causing the fire, said Syracuse Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Cavuto.
Loud bangs could be heard in the area. Two manhole covers -- one on the sidewalk and the other on the raised platform in front of the towers -- exploded upward from the pressure underground, Cavuto said.
"They were popping," he said. "It was pretty interesting here for a few minutes, then it died down."
About 27 firefighters responded to the corner where Madison, South Warren and East Onondaga streets intersect.
Firefighters were waiting for a special National Grid crew from Cortland County to switch off the power before putting out the small fires underground.
The fire was contained to the transformer and the insulation around the wires.
No injuries were reported. Electricity was cut to parts of the two towers.