By Josh Katzenstein
The Detroit News
DETROIT — At least one manhole cover blew off Sunday morning outside the Max M. Fisher Music Center on Woodward just north of Mack Avenue.
Detroit police and firefighters were on the scene as of about 11 a.m. working with DTE Energy and MichCon to determine exactly what happened, a fire department dispatcher said.
Nobody was injured in the blast, but people in the music center had to be evacuated, Detroit Symphony Orchestra spokeswoman Gabrielle Poshadlo said.
Police have closed off Woodward between Parsons and Selden streets.
“It appears to be some sort of an underground cable failure,” said Len Singer, spokesman for DTE. “We’re still investigating exactly what the source of that was.”
Methane gas can build up and create enough pressure to pop off manhole covers, Singer said.
“It’s not common, but it’s not unheard of,” he said of the blast.
DTE hasn’t received any reports of people losing power. Poshadlo said she doesn’t know the extent of any damage to the music center.
Because of the explosion, Sunday’s Sphinx15 Finals Competition, originally scheduled to be held at The Max M. Fisher Music Center, was moved to Hill Auditorium on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Hill Auditorium honored all previously issued tickets.
No other events have been canceled or rescheduled.
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