Video: Morristown family survives manhole explosion

Brett, Ted and Jeanne Sharretts a day after driving over an exploding manhole in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Brett, Ted and Jeanne Sharretts a day after driving over an exploding manhole in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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When power failed at their Morristown home on Wednesday, members of the Sharretts family drove across town to transfer their food to a friend’s freezer. But things warmed up before they got there.

As they turned left from South Street onto James Street, a manhole exploded beneath their vehicle.

“All of a sudden there was a fireball around me,” said the driver, Bret Sharretts. “It was not a steam accident. It was fire.”

Jersey Central Power & Light has attributed the incident, which blistered another motorist whose identity has not been disclosed, to a “failed switch.” The utility maintains that the event was unrelated to the ongoing restoration of power to Morristown in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene.

On Thursday, state Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco (R-25th Dist.) and Mayor Tim Dougherty met with Richard Jackson, executive director of the state Board of Public Utilities, and pressed him to get answers from JCP&L about a series of underground fires and explosions in Morristown–and to determine what caused a May 2010 explosion at the Morristown & Township Library.

“It’s time for some answers,” the Assemblyman said.

Wednesday’s 4:30 p.m. blast was heard or felt in businesses, apartments and town hall. People streamed from the Visiting Nurse Association and the 181 South apartment building as firemen went inside to inspect for damage. This was the first manhole incident in town that resulted in injuries.

“It was just a matter of time,” the Mayor said at the scene.

Brett, Ted and Jeanne Sharretts a day after driving over an exploding manhole in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Bret, Ted and Jeanne Sharretts a day after driving over an exploding manhole in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Bret Sharretts said the hair was singed on his left arm, which had been leaning out the vehicle’s open window. The Honda Pilot rocked and felt hot, “like a campfire,” said his wife Jeanne.

“I’m on fire?” Bret exclaimed. From the left rear passenger seat, his son Ted, a Life Scout with first aid training, draped a blanket on his father’s arm.

Ted, 15, remembers hearing a “Boom!” Through his closed window he saw “a really bright flash on one side” that was orange-yellow.

“A New Jersey I.E.D.,” Ted said, using the military acronym for a roadside bomb.

Ted’s sister Catherine, who who is a contributor to MorristownGreen.com, recently started classes at American University and missed the wild ride.

Wednesday’s drama happened very fast, Jeanne said.

“You could feel the heat. It felt like it exploded right under us…I thought the gas tank had blown up at that point,” she said.

Bret believes that his front tire was on the manhole cover when the manhole blew. They continued a few yards down James street, smoke curling off the back of their S.U.V., and scrambled out. A man appeared with a fire extinguisher, and another motorist stopped to see if they were okay, said Bret, who is a tax director for a major accounting firm.

He also chairs the finance committee at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church–which sustained electrical damage when the library exploded across the street last year.

“We heard the stories about manhole covers flying off from time to time but I’d never actually seen it,” said Bret, over the staccato whir of a generator in his backyard. “This is the first time I’ve ever witnessed a full-blown explosion under a manhole cover. Once was enough.”

“I’m hoping they figure out what the problem is,” said Jeanne. “Obviously, there’s a problem in Morristown. The manholes keep exploding.”

Bret did not require medical attention; he said his arm feels like it has mild sunburn. His mechanic gave the Honda a clean bill of health. Most of the black soot from the blast came off in the car wash.

On Thursday, the Sharretts actually drove over the same manhole, this time to borrow a generator from their friends.

“It’s a force of habit,” explained Bret, now able to laugh about it. “I’m going to go on South Street, I’m going to make a left on James, and I’m going to find that manhole cover and confront it. Confront your fears young man, confront your fears.”

READ MORE ABOUT JCP&L IN MORRISTOWN

READ MORE ABOUT TROPICAL STORM IRENE

1 COMMENT

  1. Downtown Morristown is a fabulous destination for business, tourism, dining and yes, shopping. We all love our historic sites and historic neighborhoods, but when it comes to infrastructure, “state of the art” is what FirstEnergy/JCP&L and PSE&G must provide.

    The Governing Body of the Town of Morristown has repeatedly called for, and gotten action – witness the comparatively fast return of electrical service this week. Now, we will continue to press, at the State level, for continued infrastructure investments.

    Councilwoman Rebecca Feldman

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