Manhole Cover Blows Off In Encino | Southland and California News | KTLA The CW

Manhole Cover Blows Off In Encino

April 8, 2008, 9:02 PM PDT

Firefighters were called early tonight to an underground electrical vault in Encino after receiving a report that a manhole cover blew off and light smoke was visible.

Firefighters were called to 5140 N. White Oak Ave., near Ventura Boulevard, at 6:41 p.m., said Ron Myers of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Firefighters stood by, awaiting the arrival of a Department of Water and Power crew, he said.

"This is an entirely different situation" than the explosions in Westchester March 26 in which a firefighter was killed, Myers said.

"That was a vault within a structure, connected to an another underground vault," Myers said.

Shortly before 8 p.m., firefighters were released and the DWP took over.

The Westchester situation was "a freak accident," according to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, but did begin with a report of a manhole cover explosion.

Normally, in such cases, the DWP takes control and firefighters leave.

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