Explosion launches manhole cover in background of Buffalo TV news interview

BUFFALO, N.Y., April 13 (UPI) -- A Buffalo, N.Y., news crew interviewing a man about an underground explosion captured the moment a second explosion launched a manhole cover into the air.

Dave Harrington, a photojournalist for WGRZ-TV, said he heard an explosion as he arrived at the scene of an underground electrical fire Sunday afternoon in downtown Buffalo and a second explosion was caught on camera when it launched a manhole cover into the air in the background of an interview Harrington was shooting with a witness.

"Heads up! Heads up!" the man being interviewed shouts in the video.

The Buffalo Fire Department said a third, smaller explosion was detected about 2 p.m.

Investigators said the electrical fire was reported about 11:30 a.m. by witnesses who reported smoke billowing out from manhole covers on Tupper Street.

A National Grid spokesman said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

"Clearly, there was some kind of a fire down there, but what caused the circuits to burn, we don't know yet," spokesman Stephen Brady told The Buffalo News.