LAPD Officer Wounded by Underground Blast

An underground explosion downtown that threw two manhole covers in the air slightly injured a Los Angeles police officer Monday.

The explosion, which was apparently triggered by a short-circuit in an electrical vault under the street occurred just after 2 p.m. in Little Tokyo.

Officer Craig Allen, 34, responded to a report of smoke coming from a manhole cover. Allen saw the smoke, got out of his car, and was prepared to stop traffic when the explosion hit.

Allen was taken to a hospital, but his injuries were described as minor.