IEEE Guide for Early Detection, Mitigation, Preventative Measures, and Response to Smoke, Fire, and Explosions in Underground Electrical Structures

Abstract: Failures of underground cables and accessories can result in the release of toxic gases and large amounts of energy. These failures include smoking manholes, manhole fires, and manhole explosions. These failure events can damage underground infrastructure and pose a risk to the maintenance crews and the public. The root causes, prevention, early detection, mitigation, and response to failures of accessories and cable inside, and connected to underground electrical structures (i.e., manholes, vaults, handholes, etc.) are examined. Methods that can help prevent manhole events and methods that can mitigate the severity of manhole events are suggested.