The New York Police Department has launched an investigation following a viral video that shows three individuals in overalls and wearing headlamps emerging from a manhole in Manhattan.
NYPD officials confirmed to News Media that the peculiar incident unfolded on August 18 at precisely 4:19 a.m. at the southeast corner of 32nd Street and Seventh Avenue, a location conveniently close to Penn Station.
As of now, no arrests have been made regarding this event, although police are diligently reviewing surveillance footage.
Detectives from the NYPD revealed to WABC that they suspect many individuals seen in these videos might be migrants exploring the sewers for valuable items.
A social media video recorded on August 18, 2026, near Penn Station, shows three people climbing out of a manhole. The footage captures the first person stepping onto the sidewalk. (Ricardy Fabre via Storyful)
Detectives said a scavenger culture exists in nations like Venezuela.
City officials have said that sneaking into manholes is both illegal and “extremely dangerous.”
Another individual seen exiting the manhole on Aug. 18. The NYPD is investigating this incident. (Ricardy Fabre via Storyful)
“DEP has inspected the sewers at the location, and our infrastructure is safe. DEP works closely with our public safety partners to help ensure the safety and security of critical infrastructure throughout New York City,” the city’s Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement to News Media.
The statement continued: “Entering the sewer system is both illegal and extremely dangerous. Sewers can contain numerous hazards, including noxious and potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding risks, and confined spaces. For these reasons, members of the public should never enter a pipe, drain, catch basin, manhole, or outfall.”
A construction worker stands near an open manhole during street maintenance works in New York City, in October 2025. (Stefan Panaitescu/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
New York City’s sewer system is made up of an elaborate network of more than 7,400 miles of wastewater and stormwater pipes, parts of which date back to the 1800s.
In June, The Associated Press reported on three separate instances of people exiting manholes in Queens and the Williamsburg and Gravesend neighborhoods of Brooklyn.
Many of them were wearing headlamps and were carrying shovels or other tools when they were caught on video.