Woman Swallowed by Electrical Manhole After Explosion on Gold Coast Footpath

The first of several blasts occurred late in the afternoon, blowing open the manhole as the woman, aged in her 20s, walked into its path. The explosion temporarily trapped her inside the hole before she managed to escape with minor injuries. Just moments later, a second fireball erupted from below ground.

The incident prompted chaos on the bustling tourist strip, with locals and visitors running for their lives. Police swiftly declared an emergency zone encompassing Cavill Avenue, Elkhorn Avenue, The Esplanade, and Surfers Paradise Boulevard at approximately 6:15 pm.

Among the shocked witnesses was Antonietta Bergamin, who recounted the terrifying moment she fled with her children.

“I looked at my kids and said, ‘Just run! Let’s go to Dad,’” she said. “My heart was beating so much, I was petrified.”

Another witness described the harrowing scene: “As we lay her [the woman] down, the second one goes off in my ear. Everyone scatters,” he told 9News. “Eventually, I go back to work, and then 30 to 45 minutes later, the next two go off, and that’s when we all evacuated.”

Authorities quickly established an exclusion zone, urging anyone within the area to remain indoors until further notice. The emergency declaration was lifted about an hour and a half later, but reduced road closures and restricted pedestrian access remained in place on Cavill Avenue and Orchid Avenue.

Energex has launched an investigation into the electrical fault responsible for the explosion, though the exact cause remains unclear. Queensland Police assured the public that there is no ongoing risk to the community but admitted the incident was unprecedented.

“I’ve asked a few of the long-termers, and they haven’t heard of anything like this,” Queensland Police Superintendent Peter Miles said. “It could have easily turned into a catastrophic event, but thankfully it didn’t.”

The surreal event left the Gold Coast shaken, reminding locals and visitors alike of the unpredictable dangers lurking beneath our city streets. For now, the focus remains on understanding how this incident occurred and ensuring it doesn’t happen again.