New York City Panic Pipe Explosion

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

This morning New Yorkers were in for a surprise after a steam pipe broke under a street in the Flatiron District in Manhattan.

The thick wave of white smoke in the air interrupted the morning rush hour of the Big Apple, however no one was injured despite the strong explosion, according to the New York Fire Department, which informed residents of the area to seek refuge while firefighters were evaluating the explosion.

The local company that operates the steam pipe system, ConEdison said that as a precaution, people who were covered in debris should put their clothes in a bag and take a shower.

Corey Johnson, the speaker for the New York City Council, tweeted a video of the explosion and said it was "a miracle no one was hurt."

At 8 am, the Fire Department had dispatched 138 firefighters and 33 units to the scene, the spokeswoman said. Police had closed several intersections, shutting off traffic on major public roads, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said subway trains were being diverted and bypassing stations there. Offices in the area also advised employees to take alternative routes to work.

Similar events have occurred in New York City repeatedly. On Fifth Avenue, which is about two blocks from where the pipeline broke this morning, a main water pipeline was broken in January 1998, causing a massive sump and then a gas pipeline to burst, throwing fire into the air. Nobody was hurt.

This morning's explosion continues under investigation.