Woman killed by manhole cover crashing through her windshield.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/flying-manhole-cover-kills-driver-in-boston/
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/flying-manhole-cover-kills-driver-in-boston/
Woman killed by flying manhole cover in Boston
- Thread starter Mr Nice
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Those covers are heavy, flying would be deadly!
I was walking down a side street in the New York City financial district many years ago when I heard an explosion close by. A second or two later I saw a manhole cover fall to the sidewalk about 40-50 feet in front of me.
That would have hurt plenty.
I was also very, very close by two lightening strikes over the years. Either I am very lucky, or very unlucky. Still trying to figure out which.
That would have hurt plenty.
I was also very, very close by two lightening strikes over the years. Either I am very lucky, or very unlucky. Still trying to figure out which.
I've heard of electrical fires (explosions) blowing manhole covers up in the air. A driver could then drive into the path of the descending cover.
MassDOT claimed it was a storm drain manhole. I've heard of sewer gasses exploding with force but not "storm drain gasses".
I wonder what happened. Kira
MassDOT claimed it was a storm drain manhole. I've heard of sewer gasses exploding with force but not "storm drain gasses".
I wonder what happened. Kira
That's a terrible incident. They need to redesign those and have them bolted into place, especially on a Highway.
Originally Posted By: JC1
That's a terrible incident. They need to redesign those and have them bolted into place, especially on a Highway.
They probably studied it and it's not workable. The bolt head would wear, or, if recessed, fill with sand. The things are cast iron and won't thread too well. They're probably designed to rock back and forth 1/8" for thermal expansion etc and endless rocking would chew up any fastener.
In NYC they weld the covers down before New Years to block terrorists but presumably unweld them shortly thereafter to allow utility access.
That's a terrible incident. They need to redesign those and have them bolted into place, especially on a Highway.
They probably studied it and it's not workable. The bolt head would wear, or, if recessed, fill with sand. The things are cast iron and won't thread too well. They're probably designed to rock back and forth 1/8" for thermal expansion etc and endless rocking would chew up any fastener.
In NYC they weld the covers down before New Years to block terrorists but presumably unweld them shortly thereafter to allow utility access.
Just saw this topic on the weather channel. They weigh about 100 lbs and the explosions seem to be common:
https://weather.com/safety/winter/news/manhole-cover-explosions-new-york-city
https://weather.com/safety/winter/news/manhole-cover-explosions-new-york-city
Imagine the timing. Just a handful of seconds sooner or later and this would have never happened.
This terrible tragedy is a reminder that you should leave nothing left unsaid when it comes to your most important and treasured relationships.
This terrible tragedy is a reminder that you should leave nothing left unsaid when it comes to your most important and treasured relationships.
There seems to be a lot of these once in a lifetime unlucky events around here. The tunnel ceiling fell and killed someone too. A tire came off a pickup last week. Junk falls off trucks all the time killing people.
I wonder how many drove past that cover without doing anything.
I wonder how many drove past that cover without doing anything.
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Imagine the timing. Just a handful of seconds sooner or later and this would have never happened.
This terrible tragedy is a reminder that you should leave nothing left unsaid when it comes to your most important and treasured relationships.
+1
Imagine the timing. Just a handful of seconds sooner or later and this would have never happened.
This terrible tragedy is a reminder that you should leave nothing left unsaid when it comes to your most important and treasured relationships.
+1
You guys have any ideas how a manhole cover gets airborne ?
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
You guys have any ideas how a manhole cover gets airborne ?
Poor maintenance. Incompetence.
You guys have any ideas how a manhole cover gets airborne ?
Poor maintenance. Incompetence.
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
You guys have any ideas how a manhole cover gets airborne ?
Poor maintenance. Incompetence.
Ummmm....No...out of the 10's of millions on Man-holes.....Just a slight amount of the cover sticks up beyond the steel ring it sets in. A snow plow usually catches it and they go flying. Happens all of the time. I have seen one fly
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
You guys have any ideas how a manhole cover gets airborne ?
Poor maintenance. Incompetence.
Ummmm....No...out of the 10's of millions on Man-holes.....Just a slight amount of the cover sticks up beyond the steel ring it sets in. A snow plow usually catches it and they go flying. Happens all of the time. I have seen one fly
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
You guys have any ideas how a manhole cover gets airborne ?
Poor maintenance. Incompetence.
Ummmm....No...out of the 10's of millions on Man-holes.....Just a slight amount of the cover sticks up beyond the steel ring it sets in. A snow plow usually catches it and they go flying. Happens all of the time. I have seen one fly
Don't you think I know where I live?
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
You guys have any ideas how a manhole cover gets airborne ?
Poor maintenance. Incompetence.
Ummmm....No...out of the 10's of millions on Man-holes.....Just a slight amount of the cover sticks up beyond the steel ring it sets in. A snow plow usually catches it and they go flying. Happens all of the time. I have seen one fly
Don't you think I know where I live?
Th vast, vast majority of manhole covers are NOT welded or bolted down. They just aren't. Sheer weight and the fit of the cover in the casting ring are more than enough to keep the cover in place in most conditions.
As an example, my employer has over 7,500 manhole covers of various types in our system (which are only for stormwater runoff purposes). Less than 2% of them are welded or bolted down. That ones that are done are for either security or for the possibility of pressurization.
Manhole covers go flying when there is some over pressurization in the system. The ones I have dealt with are caused by hydraulic transients from stormwater in a system not designed for it. (essentially think of water hammer in your home plumbing but in large concrete pipes generally not designed for pressure flow). Other causes are usually related to some type of explosion. Explosions caused by someone illegally disposing of flammable chemicals can and do happen. Other times natural gas can leak into the system. Lots of potentials, and without knowing the particular, who knows.
Other than that, if the cover did become dislodged and something hit it with enough force to send it flying, it would most likely show damage from said impact.
Because the covers are recessed in their casting rings, we have not had any issues with snowplows "sending them flying". Instead, the casting ring usually catches the plow and causes it to trip. Beehive style castings that stick up from their casting are another story though...
As an example, my employer has over 7,500 manhole covers of various types in our system (which are only for stormwater runoff purposes). Less than 2% of them are welded or bolted down. That ones that are done are for either security or for the possibility of pressurization.
Manhole covers go flying when there is some over pressurization in the system. The ones I have dealt with are caused by hydraulic transients from stormwater in a system not designed for it. (essentially think of water hammer in your home plumbing but in large concrete pipes generally not designed for pressure flow). Other causes are usually related to some type of explosion. Explosions caused by someone illegally disposing of flammable chemicals can and do happen. Other times natural gas can leak into the system. Lots of potentials, and without knowing the particular, who knows.
Other than that, if the cover did become dislodged and something hit it with enough force to send it flying, it would most likely show damage from said impact.
Because the covers are recessed in their casting rings, we have not had any issues with snowplows "sending them flying". Instead, the casting ring usually catches the plow and causes it to trip. Beehive style castings that stick up from their casting are another story though...
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