Edinburgh resident, Fay Garden, had a shocking experience while enjoying her lunch at the Raeburn hotel and bar in Stockbridge.
She witnessed the aftermath of an “exploding” pavement at the junction of Raeburn Place and Portgower Place on Monday, July 3, around 4pm.
Fay heard a loud bang and saw a puff of black smoke coming from a shattered manhole cover at the busy street corner.
She immediately phoned the police after witnessing the incident. Pictures shared with Edinburgh Live show the manhole cover broken into pieces at the junction.
Fay said she saw black debris and smoke coming out of the manhole before she phoned the police.
She said: “We were sitting on the upstairs terrace of the Raeburn hotel/bar and hear a loud bang.
“We looked over the side being nosey and saw the manhole cover like that, with black debris and smoke coming out of the hole.
“There was a guy who was brushing the back of his jacket. It looked slightly melted. Then we phoned the police who called the water fairies. They all arrived about five-10 minutes later.”
Upon arrival, the police cordoned off the area, and several Police Scotland vehicles were in attendance.
Additionally, at least one Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) appliance was spotted at the scene. Firefighters responded to an underground electrical junction box that had exploded, causing the manhole cover to break.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed their attendance, and a spokesperson stated that they were alerted to the incident at 4.14 pm.
The crews ensured the area was safe before leaving it in the hands of Scottish Power, who were contacted for comment.
The cause of the explosion and the extent of the damage are yet to be determined.
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