Harvard Square Is Burning

We’ve been pretty worried about the state’s visible infrastructure lately. The Longfellow Bridge’s sidewalks are in danger of crumbling under the weight of fireworks watchers. Gov. Deval Patrick wants to borrow $1 billion to repair the state’s troubled roads.

Maybe he should set aside some of that money to work on our subterranean infrastructure while he’s at it. Not even a week after a water main broke in the Financial District and wreaked havoc with the area’s gas supply, an underground electric cable has started a fire in Harvard Square.

There’s going to be a whole lot of stinky, cranky residents on both sides of the river today.

NStar spokeswoman Margaret Norton says about 700 customers in the area were without electricity as a result of the situation.

Norton says the fire resulted from a cable malfunction, but it was too early to determine the exact cause.

Buses 1, 68, and 69 have been rerouted, but Red Line service is still running, according to the MBTA’s website. Boston.com reports that the Square is “completely blocked off from all directions.” So, if you’re heading anywhere near that area, you may want to consider staying home.