March 26, 2015

IPL Installs Locking Manhole Covers Ahead Of Final Four

This manhole cover at the corner of Capitol Avenue and North Street exploded on March 19. - Doug Jaggers

This manhole cover at the corner of Capitol Avenue and North Street exploded on March 19.

Doug Jaggers

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Power & Light Co. says it is inspecting all downtown manholes and underground electrical vaults and installing more locking manhole covers ahead of next week's men's Final Four.

The company said Thursday it has enlisted 50 technicians from Ohio and Illinois to help inspect about 1,300 manholes and vaults in the utility's downtown underground network.

IPL also is installing 16 additional locking manhole covers in high-traffic areas near Final Four activities. The covers are designed to pop up only a few inches in cases of extreme pressure in manholes.

The moves come a week after underground explosions caused by electrical arcing shot manhole covers into the air at a busy downtown Indianapolis intersection. The incident cut power to hundreds, but no one was injured.

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