Firefighters Respond to Underground Explosion

An employee at was startled to hear a loud explosion and witness smoke streaming up from an underground utility Sunday afternoon.

According to Cpt. Paul Monton, the employee saw smoke and heard crackling from the electrical grate in front of the restaurant on Wilsey Square at around 4:30 p.m.

Police quickly redirected traffic around the busy downtown strip as firefighters investigated if the fire had extended. Electric utilities are all housed underground in the area. There were no reports of power outages in the area. No injuries were suffered, emergency responders said.

PSE&G arrived on scene shortly after 5 p.m. to contain the fire and investigate the cause of the explosion.