TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – An explosion that left several roads closed in downtown Tallahassee on Tuesday was caused by the accumulation of combustible gas, according to the city. <\/p>\n
An underground electrical fire <\/a>broke out on the morning of Oct. 6. The fire was caused by a fault in the underground cabling under Calhoun St, Tony Guillen, general manager of the city\u2019s Electric and Gas Utility said in an email to City Manager Karen Jumonville.<\/p>\n A report, sent in that email, said early indicators suggest combustible gases caused by \u201cburning electrical cable insulation\u201d built up, which led to the explosion. <\/p>\n A portion of South Monroe Street saw significant damage. The city\u2019s report noted that the Florida Department of Transportation had ongoing road work in the area. <\/p>\n \u201cAs part of standard roadway construction practices, existing manholes are temporarily covered with steel plates and asphalt until construction progresses to the point where the manholes can be raised to their final elevation and permanent covers installed,\u201d the report said. \u201cIn this instance, these temporary coverings appear to have restricted the release of gases from the underground infrastructure, allowing pressure to accumulate.\u201d <\/p>\n According to city officials, an independent engineering firm will also evaluate the findings of the report and potential contributing factors.<\/p>\n The underground fire caused <\/a>several road closures for the majority of Tuesday, including East Apalachee Parkway and North Calhoun Street. The fire also disrupted services like text-to-911 and in-person visitation at the Leon County Detention Facility. Roads reopened Later Tuesday and many services were restored by Wednesday.<\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n