2007 New York City steam explosion

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The July 18 2007 New York City steam explosion was an explosion 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 at approximately 5:56 p.m. local time, near the peak of the evening rush hour, and continued for at least two hours leaving a crater 25 feet (7 meters) wide and 15 feet (4 meters) deep. The explosion was caused by the rupture of a Con Edison 24-inch underground steam pipe installed in 1924, which sent up a cloud of billowing steam that was higher than the nearby 1,047' (318.9 m) tall Chrysler Building.

At least one woman died of a heart attack, and more than 40 others were injured, some critically. One of the most seriously injured victims was a 24 year old 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. The tow truck he was driving was very near the rupture when it occurred, and was found laying at the bottom of 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. 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.^[1]. People in the affected area were initially advised to place clothing they were wearing in a plastic bag and wash thoroughly as a precaution. After asbestos was found, officials later advised that contaminated clothing should be turned in for proper disposal.

The cause was originally believed to be either that an underground transformer had exploded, thus causing the steam pipe to burst, or that a phenomenon known as water hammer had occured. It was later determined that the damaged transformer had not exploded, and was damaged due to the pressure of the steam. Water hammer is a phenomenon that occurs when cold water enters a steam pipe, causing the steam inside to condense into liquid water, increasing the pressure, and thus causing the pipe to burst. Water hammer has been blamed for similar events, including one in New York in 1989. Heavy rain that day has been suggested as a possible trigger, as cold water runoff contacting the pipe can cause steam inside the pipe to condense into liquid water.

In addition to steam service service to 15-20 buildings, telephone service and Internet connectivity were disrupted in the area. Although an underground electrical transformer was also affected, there were no significant power outages reported. 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 before the next morning's rush hour, with all trains bypassing the Grand Central–42nd Street stop. Grand Central Terminal was also at least partially evacuated in the immediate aftermath, and entrances facing the affected area were closed, but Metro-North Railroad commuter train service, was not significantly disrupted.

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. Con Edison characterized this as an "all hands event" doubling over shifts to dispatch all available utility workers. The New York City Police Department cordoned off a several block radius around the site, from 40th to 43rd Streets between Vanderbilt and Third avenues, restricting pedestrian access and preventing people from returning to their homes. They also closed several streets to vehicular traffic in a slightly wider area. One police officer was also reported injured.

Officials estimated that repairs could take several days, but this could be extended to several months if asbestos contamination is found. 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.

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 from the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan to 96th Street uptown. Millions of pounds of steam flow through the system every hour.

Wikinews has related news:

• Explosion, steam eruption near Grand Central Terminal in New York City

• Barron, James (2007-07-19). "Steam Blast Jolts Midtown, Killing One". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• "Trains Running, But Frozen Zone Created Around Blast Site". WNBC-TV. 2007-07-19. Retrieved 2007-07-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

• New York steam system

• Photos of site from flickr: [1] [2] [3]