An underground fire temporarily forced out hundreds of Astoria residents on Thursday afternoon, according to a report from DNAinfo.
The flames shot up through openings in the ground, including “sidewalk cracks, manholes and sewer grates,” even setting some garbage on fire along 36th Street between 23rd and 24th avenues.
“There was flames coming off from the ground, and we didn’t know what was going on,” one resident told NY1. “Firemen started evacuating some houses.”
An estimated 200 people evacuated the area, but no one was injured. Con Edison shut the gas and electricity off in some buildings as a response, though the exact cause of the fires is unknown. The incident is currently being investigated.
(Photo: MyFoxNy)
