‘Thought it was a car crash’: Manhole blast knocks out power, shatters windows of Somerville home

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — A manhole explosion knocked out power and shattered the windows of a multi-family home in Somerville early Thursday morning.

Crews responding to a report of a loud explosion on Cross Street at McGrath Highway after 4 a.m. found significant damage to the road in the area, and shattered windows at a multi-residential building, according to the Somerville Police Department.

There were no reported injuries but hundreds of neighborhood residents were left without power after the blast.

“It was really loud. It knocked a few things off my house. It knocked down a door. It broke some glass,” said Damary Figueroa, who lives in the damaged building. “We were asleep...We thought it was a car crash.”