Yea, this is very sad & scary.
That SAME thing happened over here in NYC too...a few times. & it scares the crap outta me because I had this strange phobia of electricity. (Ever since I seen "The Green Mile" as a kid) it took me years to plug things in the socket & to change light bulbs.
But anyways...I digress. Whenever I see the Con Edison trucks & people working in those sewer holes....I cross the street or find a way around it. Weather its sewer covers, metal plates in the street or those metal cellar doors....I stay FAAAAR away from them!