An explosion beneath a pavement in the centre of Coventry resulted in two pedestrians being taken to hospital for treatment on Tuesday (19/04/10).

The blast occurred as people were walking along Fairfax Street in Coventry, according to the Press Association.

The Central Networks power distribution company said that the explosion was caused by an electrical problem known as ‘joint failure’, which occurs in the connection between two sections of underground cable.

The injured pedestrians are believed to be around 20 years of age and both were taken in the same ambulance to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire for further assessment and treatment for flash burns to their arms, legs, faces and hair.

An ambulance and two senior paramedic officers attended the scene. A spokesman for the West Midlands Ambulance Service said:

‘On arrival at the scene, crews found two people who had suffered flash burns after an explosion beneath the pavement they were walking on.’

After the blast, more than 230 homes and business premises in the area suffered a power cut.

A spokesman said:

It's incredibly unusual for anyone to be injured by a joint failure. They're not uncommon but I've never heard of anyone being injured by flash burns because of a joint failure. You've got to be very unlucky to be on that exact spot when it happens.’

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