A fire started by a homeless man knocked out service between Boston and New York on the experimental Internet2 network Tuesday night.
Chris Robb, an engineer at Indiana University's Global Network Operations Center who works on Internet2, says Level 3 Communications cables used by the network went up in flames. The cables were on the Longfellow Bridge, which connects Boston and Cambridge across the Charles River.
Robb, who co-authors the Internet2 Network Upgrade blog, writes that Level 3 engineers estimate it could take one to two days to restore the circuit. Engineers are looking at rerouting a Chicago-to-New York OC-192 circuit that normally goes through Boston to Washington until service is restored.
Robb writes: "Question: When can a cigarette take down your network? Answer: When you throw it at a bridge and light it on fire."
Authorities say the fire, which also disrupted service on the Red Line subway, started around 8:20 p.m. when a homeless man tossed a lit cigarette. The cigarette landed on a mattress, which ignited and led to a two-alarm fire.
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Comments (22)
Another example of why we should put utilities undergroundBy Anonymous on May 2, 2007, 8:52 amI have long been a proponent of putting utilities underground. Yes, we all have a backhoe story to tell, I'm sure. But overall I think the threat scope and likelihood...
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Underbground utilitiesBy Jason Meserve on May 2, 2007, 10:03 amThe idea of putting everything underground is great for suburbia, but I would imagine is a little tougher in a city environment. That said, this isn't the first...
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Underground Utilities to prevent disruptionBy Doc Dolan on May 2, 2007, 10:07 amI am also a proponent of underground utilities whenever it is reasonably feasable to do so, but in this case it would have not prevented the problem. Mainly because...
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Why not get rid of theBy HomeLights on May 3, 2007, 8:57 amWhy not get rid of the homeless people? If the guy hadn't been smoking he wouldn't have lit the mattress on fire. Put the guy to work or relocate him.
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OLPH - One Laptop Per HomelessBy Anonymous on May 3, 2007, 10:07 amGive them a free laptop with free wireless Internet. The Internet can solve world hunger - Thanks DARPA!!!
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Underground isn't always safeBy Telco Guy on May 3, 2007, 10:29 amThere was a problem a few years back in upstate NY. The homeless had taken over some unused subway tunnels and started a fire to stay warm. The fire got out of...
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