I love this photo of flames shooting out of a manhole cover on McCormick Road. I’m less pleased by the dubious explanation for the fire, particularly since a major junction for UVa’s underground infrastructure is 6′ under my desk. #
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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When will people playing D&D in the steam tunnels learn that the dragon’s breath defense is just inappropriate for such a confined space?
n00bs!
“Flaming Manhole” would be a good band name… for a bad band.
In this day and age of gender equity, you’d think that the word “manhole” would have been long gone. Not only is it gender specific in a day and age when many a woman enters a manhole as part of her daily work, it also invites double-entendres like nobody’s business.
The fire was started intentionally by someone in the tunnel below. Accidentally “dropping something” between the cracks of grate would not create that fire, unless you walk around with little tubes of c4 all day that you accidentally drop here and there.
However, if someone is going to do that, they should wait until night so it at least looks better.
Perhaps highly flammable materials are stored in the steam tunnels (seems unlikely) or there are regular buildups of leaves and garbage that caught fire? I kind of buy that.