Pedestrians walking down a busy UK street had a narrow escape as the pavement literally exploded in front of them.
Video of the shocking near-disaster in Boston, Lincolnshire, was captured on CCTV, with Boston Borough Council releasing the footage on its Facebook page this week.
An underground electrical fire caused an explosion that can be seen rocking the street, with Boston Police having to close down the road due to ‘flames coming from underneath a footpath’.
In the video from August 20, the force of the explosion sends pavement slabs outside the Bond Street car park flying into the air before flames erupt from underneath the footpath.
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Two people who can be seen crossing the street just seconds before the explosion narrowly avoid being caught up in the incident, while a car drives past at the moment of the blast, which dislodged a manhole cover.
Despite the dramatic scenes, the council has confirmed there were no injuries. The street was closed after the explosion while emergency services dealt with the incident.
Sharing the footage on Facebook, Boston Borough Council explained that the incident highlights the important role its CCTV team plays in helping keep communities safe.
‘No two days are ever the same,’ its post began. ‘Last Thursday, CCTV operators captured an underground electrical fire on West Street. Thankfully, nobody was injured, and our partner agencies were soon on the scene.’
It added: ‘Behind the scenes, operators work around the clock to provide real-time information to emergency services and partner organisations, supporting rapid responses to incidents as they unfold.’