A damaged power line led to an explosion in University City that blew three manhole covers from their bases and left smoke billowing up from underground Wednesday evening, police said.
A wire below 34th Street near Ludlow sparked and ignited methane gas, causing an explosion around 5:15 p.m., police said. A stretch of 34th Street between Market and Ludlow was closed to traffic while Peco Energy technicians secured the area.
No injuries or power outages were reported.
Cathy Engel-Menendez, a Peco spokeswoman, said the damaged power line feeds into the city's overall grid, but does not provide electricity directly to any homes or businesses in the area.
