2007 New York City steam explosion
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The July 18 2007 New York City steam explosion was caused by the failure of an underground steam pipe in the Midtown district of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States, at 41st Street and Lexington Avenue, near Grand Central Terminal. The event occurred just before 6 p.m. local time,[1] near the peak of the evening rush hour, and continued for at least two hours,[2] leaving a crater about 35 feet (10 meters) wide[1] and 15 feet (4 meters) deep.[3] The explosion was caused by the rupture of a Con Edison 24-inch underground steam pipe installed in 1924,[1][4] part of the New York City steam system, which sent up a cloud of billowing steam that was higher than the nearby 1,047 foot (319 meter) tall Chrysler Building.[4]
A 51 year old New Jersey woman who worked a block from the site died of a heart attack.[5] At least 41 others were hospitalized,[5] with two injured critically.[1][6][3] The most seriously injured victim was a tow truck driver from Brooklyn, who suffered severe burns over 80 percent of his body and had to be put in a medically induced coma.[7] One witness reported that the tow truck he was driving was blown 12 feet (4 meters) in the air by the escaping steam.[7] It was still in the crater when the steam leak was abated.
Initial fears that the cause was terrorist related were quickly allayed by statements by mayor Michael Bloomberg and other officials shortly after the event.[6] Pipes of that age often are wrapped in asbestos, a known human carcinogen, and although some was later found in the solid debris, no friable particles were detected in the air samples taken.[8] People in the affected area were initially advised to dispose of,[6] or wash their contaminated clothing separately, then were later told to place the items in a plastic bag and turn them in to Con Edison for disposal and reimbursement.[5]
Cause
The cause was originally believed to be either that an underground transformer had exploded, or that a water hammer had caused the pipe to burst. It was later determined that the transformer was damaged by the steam.
Water hammer is a phenomenon that can occurs when cold water comes in contact with a hot steam pipe, causing the steam inside to condense into liquid water, locally increasing the pressure, causing the pipe to burst. Water hammer has been blamed for similar events, including one in New York in 1989. Runoff from the heavy rain that day,[6] or a possible water main break, have been suggested as possible triggers.[3]
Effects
In addition to steam service disruption to 15-20 buildings, telephone service and Internet connectivity were disrupted in the area. Although an underground electrical transformer and feeder cables were also damaged, there were no significant power outages reported, but customers in the affected area were asked to reduce demand. Cellular telephone service was overloaded in the immediate aftermath, and blocked calls were reported as many people in the area tried to make calls at the same time.
Bus and subway service were also affected. The 42nd Street Shuttle and IRT Lexington Avenue Line 4 and 6 train service had to be suspended in Manhattan, and the 5 train was rerouted via the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line, but the subway infrastructure was not damaged. Subway service was restored overnight, before the next morning's rush hour, with all trains initially bypassing the Grand Central–42nd Street stop. Grand Central Terminal was also at least partially evacuated in the immediate aftermath,[3] and entrances facing the affected area were closed, but Metro-North Railroad commuter train service, was not significantly disrupted.[9]
The New York City Fire Department gave the event a five-alarm response, sending more than 200 firefighters from 40 units, two of whom were injured, along with one police officer. Con Edison characterized this as an "all hands event" doubling over shifts to dispatch all available utility workers. The steam leak was not immediately stopped to avoid the possibility of creating another rupture.[6]
The New York City Police Department established a "frozen zone" by cordoning off a several block radius around the site, from 40th to 43rd Streets between Vanderbilt and Third avenues, restricting pedestrian access.[9] This prevented residents from returning to their homes that evening, and kept workers from their offices the following day, but people already in the area were not forced to evacuate.[5] The police also initially closed several streets to vehicular traffic in a wider area. As of the following evening's rush hour, the Vanderbilt Avenue entrance to Grand Central Terminal was reopened and Third Avenue was reopened to all traffic as well.
Officials estimated that repairs and cleanup would take several days, but no definitive timetable has been announced. An extended environmental clean-up would have significant adverse transportation and economic impact, because the site is in one of the busiest sections of the city. More than 700,000 commuters pass through nearby Grand Central each work day.
History
More than 12 similar steam pipe explosions have occurred in New York City since 1987. One of the most significant events occurred near Gramercy Park in 1989, killing two Con Edison workers and one bystander, and causing damage of several million U.S. dollars. A steam pipe explosion at Washington Square in 2000 near the New York University Bobst Library left a 15 foot (3.5 meter) crater in the pavement on Washington Square South, scattering debris and leaving traces of asbestos in the air.
The New York Steam Company began providing service in lower Manhattan in 1882. Today, Con Edison operates the largest commercial steam system in the world, providing steam service to nearly 2,000 customers and serving more than 100,000 commercial and residential establishments in Manhattan south of 96th Street. Millions of pounds of steam flow through the system every hour.
References
- ^ a b c d Barron, James (2007-07-19). "Steam Blast Jolts Midtown, Killing One". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
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Buckley, Cara (2007-07-19). "An Eruption, and Fears of Something Worse". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d Sahba, Amy (2007-07-19). "Air OK, but asbestos in debris from N.Y. steam pipe blast". CNN. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Goldman, Adam (2007-07-18). "Huge Steam Pipe Blast Kills One in NYC". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d "Bloomberg: Air Tests Clean after Manhattan Steam Pipe Blast". 1010 WINS. 2007-07-19. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
- ^ a b c d e Silverman, Justin (2007-07-18). "Steam explosion terrifies Grand Central area". Newsday. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Lemire, Jonathan (2007-07-19). "Volcano on 41st street: Steampipe erupts in midtown". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Goldman, Adam (2007-07-19). "Asbestos Found in Dust From NYC Eruption: Tests Find Asbestos in Settled Dust but Not in Air After Steam Blast Rips Through NYC Street". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Trains Running, But Frozen Zone Created Around Blast Site". WNBC-TV. 2007-07-19. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
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- Belson, Ken (2007-07-18). "Asbestos and Aging Pipes Remain Buried Hazards". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - MTA New York City Transit (2007-07-19). "Service Alert". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Levitt, David M. (2007-07-18). "New York Rush-Hour Explosion Kills One, Injures 20 (Update8)". Retrieved 2007-07-19.
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See also
