Salem Explosions, Power Outage Blamed on 'Transformer Overload'

Three loud manhole explosions that rocked downtown Salem Tuesday afternoon knocked out power to more than 300 National Grid customers and prompted local officials to evacuate several nearby businesses.

At 3:18 p.m., police and fire units responded to multiple reports of loud explosions and power outages near the intersection of Front and Central streets.

A subsequent investigation by National Grid indicated that the explosions and power outages were not gas related, but due to a transformer overload. The casing on a transformer adjacent to The Boutique was blown from its hinges (photo above).

Salem police also reported that the explosions took place in the sewer system and were later determined to be electrical-related, according to this morning's police log post. 

Three manhole covers reportedly exploded during the incident, one of which ended up against a vehicle. There were no injuries.

Manhole Blasts: Did You Hear Them?

Did you lose power Tuesday afternoon? 

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