Underground Electrical Blast Rocks New Jersey’s Asbury Park

Utility crews restored service after an underground electrical fire rocked the New Jersey shore city made famous by Bruce Springsteen’s music.

Thursday’s blast caused two manhole covers to come out of the ground and forced the evacuation of some businesses and homes in the downtown district, officials said.

The fire broke out in underground electrical ductwork beneath Cookman Avenue, Jersey Central Power & Light said. The utility was trying to determine what caused the fire.

The fire led to an explosion that startled nearby residents and sent black smoke rising from a manhole.

No one was injured.

A business, the House of Independents, sustained some damage in its basement and several cars were damaged by the explosion, Mayor John Moor told the Asbury Park Press.

Authorities inspected several buildings to ensure they were structurally sound before allowing residents and employees to re-enter.