Roger Harvey/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis, Jan. 10 - Indianapolis Power and Light crews are methodically searching manholes throughout the downtown area looking for damage as well as clues as to what caused Saturday's explosion.
IPS Spokeswoman Crystal Livers-Powers says, "What we found is one manhole with minor damage to one of the cables. We have repaired that damage."
There are approximately 1,000 manholes in the city. So far, IPL workers examined 200.
Last Saturday's underground explosion caused extensive damage to the Bookland business on West Market Street.
Other businesses, including a restaurant and a UPS store, were damaged as well.
The Indianapolis Fire Department is overseeing an investigation into what caused the explosion. So far though, Mayor's Spokesman Steve Campbell says it's unclear what triggered the explosion. "The investigation is focused on some of the cables that are around downtown."
One possible cause is the extreme weather in recent weeks, a large snow followed by a quick thaw followed by a tremendous amount of rain.
Campbell says, "There's been some speculation some of the salt and saltwater caused some damage to the wires and those are all causes IFD and IPL are looking at right now."
Officials hope to figure out the cause by the end of the month.
IPL crews hope to finish searching all the manholes in two to three weeks.
To help speed up the long search of all the manholes downtown, crews from other utilities from around the state will come in to do the work.
