MANHATTAN — Salt in melting snow has wreaked havoc on the city's underground electrical system, sparking nearly 600 manhole explosions, fires and other incidents since Sunday, Con Ed officials said.
There have been 570 manhole incidents between Sunday and 9 a.m. on Friday with 50 in The Bronx, 170 in Manhattan and 350 throughout Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, Con Ed said.
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On Monday a manhole explosion in Park Slope sent its cover flying into a man's head, officials said. The next morning, a manhole fire torched a car three blocks away.
The causes of most of the manhole incidents are still being investigated, but officials said they are likely caused by salt that was laid out after the past weekend's winter storm which is now leaking into underground and corroding wires.
