Underground Explosion Shuts Down Main Ridgewood Business District Thoroughfare
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A major underground electrical explosion sent emergency crews rushing to Ridgewood’s Central Business District on Tuesday afternoon, forcing a multi-hour closure of a critical downtown artery.
Shortly after 5:30 PM on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, an underground electrical vault owned by PSE&G exploded in the 100 block of Franklin Avenue. The force of the blast triggered an immediate emergency response and completely halted traffic during the evening commute.
Remarkably, officials confirmed that the incident caused no injuries and no structural property damage.
Emergency Response & Thoroughfare Closures
Following what authorities described as an “underground disturbance,” a heavy presence of local emergency personnel quickly locked down the area.
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The Impact Zone: Franklin Avenue—a vital east-west thoroughfare—was completely closed to all motor vehicle traffic from Cottage Place to Walnut Street.
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Duration: The closure lasted for over three hours as crews secured the perimeter.
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Agencies on Scene: First responders included the Ridgewood Police Department, Ridgewood Fire Department (Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47), Ridgewood Emergency Services, and the Ridgewood Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
PSE&G Investigates the Cause
Technicians from the specialized underground branch of PSE&G’s Electrical Division were dispatched to the vault to investigate the root cause of the explosion. Crews worked into the evening to evaluate the grid infrastructure and complete all necessary repairs to prevent further disruptions.
Statement from the Ridgewood Village Manager: “Due to an underground disturbance, Franklin Avenue is CLOSED from Cottage Place to Walnut Street. Police, Fire, and OEM are on scene and are working with PSE&G to determine the cause of the situation.”
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City of Ridgewood has become a dangerous place to live.