Six manholes explode in Back Bay, prompting evacuation of four buildings

Emergency officials investigated after six manholes exploded and caught fire in Back Bay.Shannon Larson

Four buildings on Newbury Street were evacuated Tuesday night after six manholes exploded and caught fire in Back Bay, officials said.

No one was injured, but officers found low levels of carbon monoxide in several of the buildings, Boston Deputy Chief James Greene told reporters Tuesday night.

“We feel confident that this is isolated to the manholes, but still, it’s an unfolding situation,” Greene said.

Around 7:30 p.m., police were directing pedestrians and drivers away from Newbury Street and toward Massachusetts Avenue. Investigators have not yet determined what caused the explosions, but said smoke from the fires triggered alarms in nearby buildings.

“People were startled,” said Will Mountzoures, 27, who witnessed several of the explosions from inside his car. “I turned around and saw the flames.”

As police closed roads, a faint smell of smoke lingered in the air. Yellow caution tape stretched across the intersection of Dartmouth and Newbury streets, where officers responded around 5:21 p.m. for reports of a manhole fire.

After the first, five additional explosions erupted along Newbury Street.

“From when we arrived, it expanded towards Mass Ave pretty significantly,” Greene said.

Police taped off the intersection of Dartmouth and Newbury streets, where the first of six manhole explosions erupted. Shannon Larson

He warned that power to nearby buildings could remain out into the night. Several customers in the area were without electricity, and Eversource crews remained on scene investigating, the company said.

“Safety remains our top priority, and we will continue working with the fire department and city officials to secure the area before beginning the necessary work to assess damage and make repairs,” said Eversource spokesperson Olessa Stepanova.

Safety mechanisms kept the manhole covers in place during the explosions and prevented them from “being a projectile,” Greene said. Still, witnesses described loud blasts and the smell of “burning rubber.”

“It’s such a busy street and area that you have to worry about pedestrians walking by,” said Mountzoures, who lives in South Boston. “It’s scary.”

Newbury Street remains closed between Exeter and Clarendon streets. Dartmouth Street is shut down from Boylston Street to Commonwealth Avenue, and Exeter Street is closed between Boylston Street and Commonwealth Avenue. The intersection of Newbury and Dartmouth streets remains closed, officials said.