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Manhole Fire Shuts Down Harvard Square In Boston

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May 2, 2008 7:44 am US/Eastern

Manhole Fire Shuts Down Harvard Square In Boston

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (CBS) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 2: Flames leap out of a Harvard Square manhole in Boston on May 2, 2008.
WBZ
Click to enlarge 2 of 2: WBZ

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WBZ-TV Local Coverage

Part of Harvard Square in Boston has been shut down because of an underground electrical fire.

Smoke and flames started shooting out of several manholes in the area early Friday morning. The flames were about 15 feet high at one point, reports CBS station WBZ-TV in Boston.

Four buildings in the area were evacuated. Firefighters said they were concerned about a possible buildup of carbon monoxide in the neighborhood.

A Cambridge, Mass., fire department spokesman said Harvard University's Holyoke Center, which includes a student health care center, was one of the buildings cleared out.

About 700 customers in the area were without electricity as a result of the situation, according to Margaret Norton, a spokeswoman for the local utility company.

The fire resulted from a cable malfunction, but it was too early to determine the exact cause, Norton said. She was not aware of any utility crews working in the area at the time.

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