Ten people had to leave their homes after the latest in a string of manhole fires in the city.
Firefighters say they evacuated three apartments in Washington Heights after the fire broke out around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
There were no injuries or power outages.
A business owner we spoke with described the scene.
"There was a lot of smoke coming out of a manhole in the beginning, very dark smoke, started going into all the doors. Then firemen came and started checking for gas leaks because I guess they were afraid of what happened on 116th Street explosion or what have you, and they came down and said, 'Close all your stores. You've got to leave,'" he said.
Con Edison says such incidents are common this time of the year.
Officials say it happens when snow and ice seep into the system and interfere with underground power cables.