something crazy outside my apartment

so early this morning at like 7 am my electricity started like flickering on and off, like browning out a little and then coming back on, and somehow it reset my alarm clock. Then at about 8:25 there was some sort of giant noise outside, and people running this way and that, and now there are a ton of fire trucks. This is on the corner of Lincoln and Underhill. Anyone hip to what's going on?

Subject: ditto

i don't know either, but my lights are flickering down at sterling and underhill.

i didn't think much of the big boom, as i hear that sort of thing coming from the st. john's end of my block a few times a week - like a dumpster being dropped? though this one set off car alarms, and the normal morning explosion-sounds don't.

when I was walking to the subway this morning (dear homeowners, ice is not cute. make it go away. love, me) I noticed like 5 firetrucks at lincoln & underhill. freaky.

NY1 had a story this morning about another fire in the neighborhood

Transformer exploded. (No word on whether it was Autobot or Decepti^H^H oh, never mind.) Con Ed was onsite and not looking too terribly worried (do they ever?) when I walked my animal back from the big park at about 9:15am.

The manhole cover in front of Lucky The Ghetto Poodle <tm>'s old laundromat was taped off with fun red "DANGER HAZARDOUS MATERIALS" tape. So everyone be extra careful about that stray voltage, mmkay?

That sounds like what happened on Park place like a couple of years ago... and then we had no electricity for 24 hours.

Does this have anything to do with the crews up and down Underhill for the past week or so?

oddly, this morning we had electricity at and for several hours after the time of the exploding manhole, but now we have none. Anyone else on Lincoln and/or Underhill in the same boat? No hot water or heat in my building either. I had to flee to the god damned f$#king stupid Tea Lounge to get on the internet. Sepia's closed, I'm assuming because of the same problem. Feel free to add your Transformers- more than meets the eye comment here.

I, however, will reiterate: exploding manhole.

Better than exploding sewer main...


Is Sepia still closed? I was going to stop in later this evening.

For me the flickering lights started around midnight last night.

Eyewitness firescape news:
Two major booms happened, then minor explosions followed. Thick black smoke poured from one of the holes. Two manholes were involved; it looks like one cover flew several feet through the air. Note damaged asphalt around hole. (link goes to picture taken at 9.45 am)

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-7/300796/3306transformerexplosion1.jpg

smoke/steam still coming out of one hole:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-7/300796/3306transformerexplosion2.jpg

I'm at work and wondering if there's anything going on at the moment .. is there electricity/ heat/ hot water? Just looking for an update. Btw, teddyballgame, we must be neighbors.

This reminds me of an exploding transistor on Atlantic and Washington Ave about two years ago. Some flickering lights, and then a loud boom that rattled the windows. Happened at about 3:00 am. Went outside to see what the deal was and the explosion had torn up some dude's car. This seems to be a frequent occurance. Amazing that people aren't hurt.

According to Delissa at Sepia, one of those two covers hit the front grate of the bar.