December 14, 2016
The Philadelphia Fire Department is investigating the cause of the blaze that injured two SEPTA workers Wednesday morning in the Cedar Park neighborhood of West Philadelphia.
SEPTA officials confirmed the workers were hurt while inspecting a manhole in the 900 block of South 49th Street. At around 12:30 p.m., a fire broke out as the crew attempted to ventilate the manhole from aboveground.
Both of the workers were initially transported with burns to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. One of them was released, and the other later transferred to the burn unit at Temple University Hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition.
A PGW spokesman said the utility had received a report of smoke and an odor coming from the manhole, and tests detected high levels of carbon monoxide.
As a result of the incident and investigation, shuttle buses were used for SEPTA's Route 34 Trolley between 61st Street and Baltimore Avenue.
