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PECO Employee Rushed To Hospital After Montgomery County Explosion

POTTSTOWN, Pa. (CBS) - A PECO worker was taken to an area hospital after sustaining injuries in an underground explosion in Montgomery County Sunday afternoon.

According to firefighters, the unidentified supervisor was installing two new transformers underground near Hanover Street and Buttonwood Alley in Pottstown when the explosion took place. They say PECO workers pulled the injured supervisor to safety.

"It happened so fast," said Joe Deleo, who works at Argento's Pizza across the street from the explosion. "I saw black smoke and flames shooting out of the manhole."

Deleo was on his way to work when he heard, saw, and felt the blast. After the explosion, smoke billowed out of the uncovered manhole.

There is no word on the extent of the supervisor's injuries, but PECO officials say he was conscious and alert when paramedics arrived at the scene.

Police blocked off the street, while PECO crews worked to restore power to the surrounding area. The company is investigating the cause of the incident.

Watch the video...

Reported by Oren Liebermann, CBS 3; Crystal Cranmore, CBS Philly

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