An Edinburgh resident has described witnessing the aftermath of an "exploding" pavement as she sat down for lunch in Stockbridge.
Fay Garden was sitting on the upstairs terrace of the Raeburn hotel and bar when she heard a loud bang coming from the junction of Raeburn Place and Portgower Place on Monday July 3 at around 4pm.
Pictures shared with Edinburgh Live show a manhole cover broken into pieces at the junction.
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Fay describes seeing black debris and smoke coming out of the manhole before she phoned the police. “We were sitting on the upstairs terrace of the Raeburn hotel/bar and hear a loud bang,” she said.
“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.”
Images show several Police Scotland vehicles in attendance and a cordon that has been put in place by officers as shocked passersby looked on.
At least one Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) appliance was also spotted at the scene with firefighters responding to an underground electrical junction box which had exploded.
Police Scotland confirmed their attendance.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 4.14pm on Monday, July 3 to an incident at Portgower Place, Edinburgh.
“Operations Control mobilised one fire appliance to an underground electrical junction box which had exploded affecting a manhole cover.
“Crews ensured the area was made safe before leaving the scene in the hands of Scottish Power.”
Scottish Power have been contacted for comment.
