Pedestrians were engulfed in smoke after an electrical explosion burst through pavement manhole covers on a busy road in east London.
Hackney council released dramatic footage of the moment at 9.33am on Monday when smoke erupted from the manhole covers on Mare Street, outside the town hall.
No one was hurt, but the electrical explosion has caused disruption to the area, as roads were closed and buildings evacuated. Firefighters set up safety cordons around the scene of the blast.
London fire brigade said the cause of the explosion was not known.
The explosion has caused offices and venues on Mare Street to be temporarily closed, including a cinema, a library and a learning centre.
Morning folks. We've not been able to open due to an evacuation of Mare St. Will keep you updated, but as yet we have no opening time.
— Hackney Picturehouse (@HackneyPH) October 3, 2016
A107 Mare St btwn Morning Lane / Darnley Rd closed due to emergency services incident. W/B delays to Wick Rd & S/B tailbacks to Amhurst Rd
— TfL Traffic News (@TfLTrafficNews) October 3, 2016
