An underground transformer fire sparked a billowing Midtown blaze that forced the evacuation of Le Bernardin and some Time Inc. magazine offices Monday.
“We heard some pops and bangs. After the first one, I said to my wife, ‘Something exploded,’ ” said Michael Accardi, who was celebrating his 50th birthday with a $180 lunch at the four-star eatery when smoke starting poring from a sidewalk grate across the street around 2:10 p.m.
“We saw [chef] Eric [Ripert ]at the door looking over, and we said, ‘Okay, something’s up,’” Accardi said. “And then somebody came over and said they were going to evacuate the building because they were worried about the smoke.
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“They had just put down our entrees,’’ lamented the Parsippany, NJ, resident, who said he and his wife were among about 70 other customers at the restaurant at the time. “I was enjoying some halibut.
“I wolfed down the whole thing once I realized what was going on.
“The good news is, we didn’t get a bill,’’ he said. “The bad news is, we didn’t finish… We didn’t get… dessert!’’
The posh eatery was closed Monday night but planned to reopen Tuesday. Ripert posted photos of the fire on Instagram.
Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen in front of the Time Life Building across the street, where 1,500 workers were evacuated from the first four floors of the office building adjacent to it.
Employees at Entertainment Weekly, Essence, This Old House and All You were affected, a company rep said.
“When I saw the fire, I said, ‘It’s time for me to get out!’ ” said a 52-year-old worker who only gave his first name, Kevin.
The fire was brought under control by 4:20 p.m., officials said.
A Con Ed spokesman said such underground fires are par for the course this time of year.
“This is typical a day or two after a snowstorm from salt getting into the system,’’ said the rep, Bob McGee.
“We usually experience an uptick in fires like this when rock salt winds up washing from the street into the manhole and erodes wires.”
Additional reporting by Keith Kelly and Antonio Antenucci