Underground explosion in San Francisco.

[dgibby]

According to CNN, there has been an underground explosion in the O'Farrel area of SF. Cause unknown, but believed to be connected to a PG&E transformer of some sort. Manhole covers blown off, flames shooting into air, power out, people trapped in elevators. No reports of injury at present. More news as it developes.

[Drunken Irishman]

1. Oh man, that'd be awesome to see.

That is, of course, no one is injured.

[Kittycat]

7. Kind of like a die-hard movie.

[NYC_SKP]

2. PG&E--Polk and O'Farrell St.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12528982

A large amount of smoke is rising from a manhole in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood due to a problem with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. equipment that has caused about 3,200 PG&E customers to lose power, a utility spokeswoman said. An explosion occurred in the area of Polk and O'Farrell streets late this morning, sending black smoke pouring out of a manhole there, fire spokeswoman Mindy Taldmadge said.

Police have closed off streets for two blocks in all directions around that intersection.
Talmadge said firefighters had to rescue some people who were stuck in elevators due to the power outage. Medics and firefighters are on scene to make sure the smoke doesn't cause further problems. No injuries have been reported. Firefighters were still waiting for PG&E to arrive around 12:15p.m.

PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian said the first report of an outage came in around 11:36 a.m., which is probably when the equipment failed.

[dgibby]

4. Thanks.

I edited the op. And I used to live in Oakland, too. Think I'd have remembered PG&E! When the news broke, CNN was showing flames and smoke coming out of one of the manholes. At least one of the orange traffic cones had melted. Pretty impressive pics. Glad no one was hurt, but I'm sure those folks stuck in the elevators are a little stressed right now.

[EFerrari]

3. There's pretty much a daily PG&E f-up here.

I only hope this one is close enough to one of their own buildings to get them off their @sses.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. When I hear manhole explosion, I think PG & E.

It's as if they're rebuilding the financial district grid one transformer at a time.

[EFerrari]

8. My uncle was the lead engineer cleaning up Diablo Canyon in the 80s.

And when he told me that, he laughed.

Do you remember when that grandma hiked in to prove how easy it was to get in? He was rooting for her.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. PG&E is the best reason I know of for publicly owned public utilities

!!

[KamaAina]

10. SF almost got it done a few years ago

there were reports of boxes of ballots found literally floating in the Bay!!

[Jack Rabbit]

15. I live in Davis

We almost joined the publicly owned Sacramento Municipal Utility District two years ago.

Hopefully, we'll try it again soon and get it through.

[EFerrari]

16. No kidding. Even at the micro level. They turned my power off on Monday

by mistake because my tenant downstairs hadn't paid her bill. It took them 14 hours to fix it. Thank God I wasn't on life support or oxygen or something. They don't even hand out notices or anything. Poof! :crazy:

[Mythsaje]

5. And in the Tenderloin?

Wow. I hope no one was hurt.

[sarcasmo]

11. We have had that happen here in Grand Rapids Michigan, the manhole covers exploded.

If I remember right it had something to do with the sewers and toxic gases. I will have to find the story, it's a couple years old.

[Mari333]

12. hah I was just in GR today

to babysit my grandson.

[sarcasmo]

13. I live in Jenison so don't deal with the city much.

[paparush]

14. Is this another cable cutting incident?