May 2, 2008 Underground fires shut down Harvard Square Play video

(NECN: Cambridge, Mass.) - Cambridge fire crews are monitoring four underground fires that caused two manhole explosions at 1350 Mass. Ave. Flames shot to heights of 50 feet. At least 700 NStar customers are without power due to the fires.

A Cambridge fire department spokesman said Harvard University's Holyoke Center, which includes a student health care center, was evacuated early Friday due to the fire in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Dunster Street.

The MBTA says that Red Line trains are running normally, but bus routes 01, 68, and 69 are impacted. They are still running but are being rerouted around the area of the explosions.

A cable malfunction seems to have sparked the fire. Fire crews are unable to extinguish the blaze with water due to close proximity of electrical equipment.

There are no injuries reported.

NECN's Latoyia Edwards has more.

Material from the Associate Press is included in this report.