FIRE under the newly-installed Pedestrian Heart caused Darlington town centre to be cordoned off for the second time in six weeks today.
Eye-witnesses reported smelling and seeing smoke from the man-hole cover in front of Greggs on High Row.
The fire brigade were called, removed the cover, and sprayed water into the man hole.
Early reports from the fire brigade suggested the fire, just behind the new water feature, could have been caused by a chemical leak.
Onlookers remarked it was fortunate the fire hadnt broken out on Monday - when market stalls in the area attracted hundreds of shoppers.
Police cars and fire engines blocked access for buses and cars at the bottom of Priestgate, next to the William Stead pub, and at Tubwell Row, opposite Bertie mens clothing.
Police cordoned off the area from Barclays bank to Burger King, along Prebend Row to Pizza Hut, then up to Binns.
On Tuesday, July 10, the town centre was also cordoned off after fire shot ten feet from a newly-installed post outside Phones4U. It was caused by water entering a high-voltage cable, and caused 528 people to lose power.
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