Reports of an explosion under manhole covers in San Francisco may have been overblown, perhaps by witnesses made more sensitive by Thursday’s actual explosion in San Bruno, but a PG&E representative did confirm that there was smoke escaping a manhole cover.
According to PG&E spokeswoman Katie Romans, the utility agency received a call early Friday that smoke was rising from a manhole cover near Sutter and Montgomery streets.
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Sure enough, when crews arrived they discovered the smoke originated from a failed secondary electric cable. They cut power to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at 130 Montgomery, a narrow six story building sandwiched between two much larger buildings.
The problem was fixed and power restored by 12:30 p.m., Romans said.
