Bushwick Manhole Explodes 'Like a Bomb', Witnesses and FDNY Say
BUSHWICK — A manhole exploded Thursday morning at the intersection of Suydam Street and Myrtle Avenue Thursday morning, FDNY said.
"It was like a bomb, so loud," Luis Flores, 35, told DNAinfo. He was standing in front of his house on Suydam Street when the manhole blew.
No one was injured in the explosion, fire officials said.
Failures of underground electric equipment often cause manholes to blow after snow storms or in the summer when the equipment is overloaded by use from air conditioners, said Con Ed spokesman Allan Drury.
"The underground energy systems are very complex and components fail from time to time," Drury said.
But he added that an explosion on a mild Spring day like Thursday was unusual.
The blast did not cause any power outages and Con Ed crews were still checking equipment Thursday evening.
City Purchases Another Portion of Bushwick Inlet Park: Records Show
GREENPOINT — The 27-acre waterfront park, promised to North Brooklyn residents by the city in 2005, is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The city finalized the purchase of a portion of the future park located at 1 N. 12th St. Wednesday, forking over $53 million to the to Bayside Oil Fuel Depot Corp., according to property records.
The newly acquired piece of land will go towards the completion of Bushwick Inlet Park, which was promised to Greenpoint and Williamsburg residents in exchange for a rezoning of the waterfront to allow for residential development. The Real Deal first reported the sale.
The city had been in talks with Bayside Oil for some time about buying the land, but tenants had to leave the site before it could be completed, a Parks Department spokeswoman previously said.
Following news of the sale, the Parks Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Neighborhood activist Steve Chesler, who's been pushing for the completion of Bushwick Inlet Park since a massive fire destroyed the CitiStorage building on one piece of land that falls within the area where the park was promised, met Wednesday's news with "cautious excitement."
"We're very happy [and] grateful that another parcel of the park is under city ownership," Chesler said. "But there's still 11-acres to go."
Chesler is referring to the property in the middle of the promised parkland (and about half the total area) that is still owned by Norman Brodsky who reportedly wants $250 million for it.
The city's Parks Department previously said that it had no specific budget or plans for that parcel of land, though they have already set aside $225 million to complete the park's southernmost section, purchase the remaining land not including the CitiStorage lot and demolish buildings on some of that property.
"It's still very much in play," Chesler said.
15 Things To Do in Your Brooklyn Neighborhood This Weekend
All Weekend:
Where: JACK, 505 Waverly Ave., Clinton Hill
When: Friday at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.; Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m.
When: Friday at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.; Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m.
Stacy Grossfield molds JACK’s theater into a murky, surreal dreamscape in "hot dark matter," a multi-sensory experience in which the audience’s sense of smell and touch are activated. In "hot dark matter," the choreographer and her dancers become apparitions in this full-length performance. Tickets are $15, by card in advance, or cash-only at the door. For advance tickets, click here.
Where: BAM, 30 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene
When: All weekend, various times
When: All weekend, various times
Be a part of RadioLoveFest, a multi-day festival featuring live tapings of shows like "Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me," "Death, Sex & Money" and "The Moth." The three-day radio festival hosted by BAM and WNYC will feature curated film screenings, live music and talks by notable radio hosts like A Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor.
Friday, March 11
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