BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — An investigation is underway after more than a dozen people were seen entering and exiting from two manholes in Brooklyn, according to police on Friday.
At least seven people were seen entering the sewers via a manhole near McDonald Avenue and Colin Place in Gravesend around 11 p.m. on Thursday and emerging around 2 a.m. Friday, authorities said.
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(Credit: CitizenApp)
“Authorities conducted a thorough investigation following reports of unauthorized individuals inside the sewer system on McDonald Avenue,” read a social media post from the 62nd Precinct. “The NYPD and other agencies have completed their sweep, confirming the area is safe and free of hazards.”
Another group of eight people was also seen descending into the sewers around eight miles away in the area of Heyward Street and Bedford Avenue around 1 a.m. on Friday, officials reported. They were then seen climbing out of the manholes just before 4 a.m. and escaping in a vehicle, according to the NYPD.
(Credit: CitizenApp)
The NYPD K-9 unit, FDNY, and Department of Environmental Protection showed up to the scene and investigated.
A spokesperson for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection confirmed that the sewers at both locations were inspected and deemed the infrastructure safe, but emphasized that entering the sewer system is both illegal and dangerous.
“Sewers can contain numerous hazards, including noxious and potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding risks, and confined spaces. For these reasons, members of the public should never enter a pipe, drain, catch basin, manhole, or outfall,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
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Council Member Susan Zhuang commended the NYPD and DEP for their response to the incident and echoed the safety risk of entering the sewers.
“What happened in Gravesend and Bedford Avenue this week was dangerous, illegal, and cannot be dismissed. Our sewers contain deadly gases, unstable surfaces, and serious flooding risks, they are not a place anyone should ever enter,” said Zhuang in a statement.
“To anyone tempted to explore these spaces: it is not worth your life. If you see someone entering a manhole, call 911 immediately.”
Police are investigating the two incidents and whether there’s any connection between them.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
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