Thousands of Exploding Manhole Covers Make Winter Even More Treacherous

Adding another thing to the list of ways New York is trying to kill you, you now have to be on the lookout for flying manhole covers. This particularly cold winter has left a ton of ice on our sidewalks. When building owners spread salt to help melt the ice, the runoff eventually goes into the sewers where it corrodes the insulation on electric wiring. Eventually, these exposed or shorted wires can cause fires, and the resulting buildup of pressure, smoke and/or explosions can send the 110lb manhole covers flying through the air.