Times Square
Times SquareiStock

The sound of enormous explosions triggered by a series of manhole fires in the vicinity of Times Square on Sunday night caused a panic, with tourists fleeing in confusion.

According to Fox News, the loud bangs heard by tourists enjoying Times Square were caused by three manholes that caught on fire shortly before 7 p.m. on W 43rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, a tourist area that is full of crowds throughout the day.

No injuries were reported, the NYPD and New York City Fire Department said.

Elevated levels of carbon monoxide were detected by firefighters near the area where the explosions occurred. A spokesperson for the fire department told Fox News Digital that they were in the process of venting dangerous gases from the scene.

The 2021 Mayor’s Management report stated that manhole fires in the city doubled from 2020 to 2021, rising to 6,104. The fires occur when an underground buildup of gas explodes due to an electrical fault. The frequent result is an explosion shooting up through a manhole.

Sunday’s explosion was described as sounding like a loud blast of thunder, with crowds panicking and running for cover, the New York Post reported.

The fire department confirmed that they attended to three manhole fires near Times Square.