In a surprising turn of events, a group of men stunned passersby when they emerged from a manhole on a bustling street in New York City, prompting a police investigation.
The incident, which involved seven individuals climbing out of the city’s sewer system, took place on Brooklyn’s McDonald Avenue in the Gravesend area.
Their dramatic and unexpected exit, captured on video around 2 a.m. on Friday, was shared by the local news outlet, Flatbush Scoop.
After climbing out of the sewer, the men began to remove their soiled clothing and gathered around a few cars that were parked nearby.
Several of the men appeared to be carrying equipment and flashlights, while some wore boots and protective gear, suggesting they had been prepared for their subterranean journey.
The footage circulating online also seems to show one person staying close to the manhole cover, which remained closed, possibly acting as a lookout.
The bizarre sight prompted the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to visit the scene several hours later.
They said investigators have been unable to determine how long the group spent inside the sewer network or why they entered it in the first place.
Around seven people were captured on surveillance video emerging from a manhole in Brooklyn’s Gravesend neighborhood shortly after 2am on Friday
After emerging one by one from the manhole. Surveillance footage appeared to show the men removing soiled clothing on the sidewalk
Footage from the investigation showed an NYPD officer wearing a respirator mask and stained protective coveralls being assisted out of the manhole after apparently searching sections of the sewer below.
Additional reports suggest the men may have been underground for close to two hours before resurfacing.
The incident appears to be one of several similar instances across the borough, with witnesses reporting another group descending into a manhole in Williamsburg at Bedford Avenue and Lynch Street.
Portions of the area around McDonald Avenue between Kings Highway and Avenue S were shut down while officials worked to determine whether there were any hazards underground.
Crews from the city’s Department of Environmental Protection also arrived at the location to conduct their own inspection of the infrastructure below the street.
A spokesperson for the department said workers were ‘inspecting the sewer infrastructure at this location to ensure there is no damage to the system.’
The agency also issued a stark warning about the dangers associated with entering the city’s sewer network.
‘Entering the sewer system is both illegal and extremely dangerous,’ the spokesperson said in a statement.
The strange incident prompted a large NYPD investigation at the scene later on Friday
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection later inspected the sewer infrastructure to check for any damage
The NYPD’s 62nd Precinct said the area was ultimately found to be ‘safe and free of hazards’ with no arrests had made as of Friday evening
‘Sewers can contain numerous hazards, including noxious and potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding risks, and confined spaces.’
Despite the dramatic scene and hours of investigation, police said no arrests had been made as of Friday evening.
The NYPD’s 62nd Precinct later attempted to reassure residents, posting on social media that the location had been examined and was considered safe.
According to the department, the area was found to be ‘safe and free of hazards.’
In 2024, members of a Crown Heights synagogue were found to have dug illegal tunnels to link a building next door
A man is seen emerging from the tunnels beneath the synagogue in 2024
Hasidic Jewish students watch on as police guard a breached wall in the synagogue on January 8
Both incidents occurred in predominantly Jewish neighborhoods of Brooklyn.
In 2024, illegally-dug tunnels were discovered being used by young Orthodox Jewish men in an attempt to link a synagogue to a nearby ritual bath at the Chabad Lubavitch global headquarters in Crown Heights.
Members of the Hasidic Jewish community were arrested and charged over a 60ft secret tunnel.
The leaders of the synagogue only discovered the tunnel after neighbors complained of hearing people speaking Yiddish under their floors.
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