Explosion rocks Manhattan, revives 9/11 memories .. END HEADLINE -->
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By Claudia Parsons and John Doran 22 minutes ago
NEW YORK (Reuters) - An underground steam pipe exploded in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, shaking buildings, creating a towering geyser of debris and sending pedestrians fleeing in scenes reminiscent of the September 11 attacks.
Officials in New York and Washington promptly ruled out a terrorist attack. One person died and about 20 people were injured, some seriously, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
"The big fear that we have is there may or may not have been asbestos released," Bloomberg said.
Boiling, brownish water and steam gushed geyser-like at least 120 feet high out of a crater about 20 feet
wide on Lexington Avenue at 41st Street, one of the busiest areas of New York City near the Grand Central transportation hub.
The scene looked as if buildings were collapsing in a billow of debris as they did on September 11, 2001 when the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan was destroyed.
"We ran down 43 floors thinking we were going to die," said Megan Fletcher, 35, who works for an Australian company in the Chrysler Building. "It looked like when the buildings collapsed on 9/11."
Police at the scene also raised the concern of asbestos being strewn into the air. Rescue workers and those covered in the debris were being decontaminated at the scene by hazardous materials specialists.
"It was a steam pipe rupture right before 6 p.m. We're in the process of isolating the pipeline, assessing for possible collateral damage," said Alfonso Quiroz, a spokesman for power utility Consolidated Edison.
It was the latest public embarrassment for ConEd, which is under scrutiny for power blackouts.
The pipe of 24 inches in diameter was installed in 1924, Bloomberg told a news conference, and may have burst because cold water somehow entered it.
HAVOC AT RUSH HOUR
Pedestrians sprinted from the scene, many with cell phones glued to their ears, some crying. Some were covered in white ash and soot, others in mud. A small, yellow school bus stood by, badly damaged by the geyser.
The blast shook buildings and broke windows up to 10 stories high on Lexington Avenue.
The geyser was contained about 90 minutes afterward, revealing a truck stuck in the crater.
"There was steam and mud coming up to the 12th floor," said Doron Sher, 29, a real estate broker who works on the 12th floor of a building next to the explosion. "We thought it's like a bomb or hurricane."
"It looked like the World Trade Center had exploded. I saw rocks and pebbles coming down. As I was running I got pelted in the head by rocks and concrete. Steam came up and then the ground started breaking up," said Reggie Evans, an office administrator who was covered in mud.
Authorities evacuated a wide area including the emblematic Chrysler Building.
The blast created havoc at rush hour. Nearly 200 firefighters rushed to the scene, which was crowded with ambulances and fire engines. People wore masks to avoid breathing pollutants.
Kwang Choi, 57, was working at a laundromat one block away when the explosion occurred. "People just kept running. People were saying a building collapsed," he said. "I looked outside -- huge smoke, just like 9/11. I just ran."
Said 50-year-old computer worker Azad Mohamed: "Of course, the first thing you think about is terrorism. It's pretty scary."
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Elsa and I left the Fillmore on Sunday night after Travis played to find fire trucks outside...a transformer had blown causing what appeared to be smoke, but no explosion. I am experienced with this having been through one late last year and a woman died after the manhole blew up and hit her on the head killing her. Windows were blown, explosions causing all the buildings to shake. It was scary. We were standing around thinking we should leave before something happens. The guy around us was saying there will be another one. we weren't about to wait for that. We grabbed a taxi and left. 3 days later, this happens! I am glad we are all safe. Some were not too lucky.
i'm not sure when that manhole blew. i was waiting for you right outside the exit to the venue. when you came out, the firetrucks started to arrive a minute or two later. we went to the corner about 10 feet away to ask what was going on as the firetruck stopped and firefighters were crossing the street and walking towards us. i managed to take one picture but it was dark. all you can see is the glowy parts of the firefighters and the firetruck.
the guy standing with us at the corner was telling us what was happening. we were asking him which way we should start walking. he was saying he thought another manhole would blow and said to go up 15th street. he pointed out the smoke and that it was a fire. i noticed the firefighters did not touch the manhole where the smoke was coming out of it. we were way too close and i wanted to get the hell out of dodge. right then, a cab showed up and i wasted no time jumping in, a little panicked. lisa soon followed and we were gone. relieved to be out of a potentially dangerous situation.
and had the sense to get the F@ck outta there, I know people who would have hung around cause they'd "never seen a manhole explode" or just out of sheer fucking curiosity/scandal (something to tell their friends)
i'm not sure when that manhole blew. i was waiting for you right outside the exit to the venue. when you came out, the firetrucks started to arrive a minute or two later. we went to the corner about 10 feet away to ask what was going on as the firetruck stopped and firefighters were crossing the street and walking towards us. i managed to take one picture but it was dark. all you can see is the glowy parts of the firefighters and the firetruck.
the guy standing with us at the corner was telling us what was happening. we were asking him which way we should start walking. he was saying he thought another manhole would blow and said to go up 15th street. he pointed out the smoke and that it was a fire. i noticed the firefighters did not touch the manhole where the smoke was coming out of it. we were way too close and i wanted to get the hell out of dodge. right then, a cab showed up and i wasted no time jumping in, a little panicked. lisa soon followed and we were gone. relieved to be out of a potentially dangerous situation.
You seem to be having a uncanny feeling to be there were fire is:( (first on your way home from a weekend away now this) Sounds all pretty scary. Glad to hear you two are oke. Take care!!
i'm not sure when that manhole blew. i was waiting for you right outside the exit to the venue. when you came out, the firetrucks started to arrive a minute or two later. we went to the corner about 10 feet away to ask what was going on as the firetruck stopped and firefighters were crossing the street and walking towards us. i managed to take one picture but it was dark. all you can see is the glowy parts of the firefighters and the firetruck.
the guy standing with us at the corner was telling us what was happening. we were asking him which way we should start walking. he was saying he thought another manhole would blow and said to go up 15th street. he pointed out the smoke and that it was a fire. i noticed the firefighters did not touch the manhole where the smoke was coming out of it. we were way too close and i wanted to get the hell out of dodge. right then, a cab showed up and i wasted no time jumping in, a little panicked. lisa soon followed and we were gone. relieved to be out of a potentially dangerous situation.
It was just kind of suspicious, that guy standing there telling us that another was gonna blow. I think back and i'm like...what the hell. But this guy sounded like an engineer of some sort.
I remember how bad that explosion was here in San Francisco, me being a block down the road...windows shattered and the buildings shook...that poor woman who lost her life just because she was rounding the corner when it happened, and i had just walked that corner. I don't know...just a little freaked out over the close calls you and i seem to be encountering.
and had the sense to get the F@ck outta there, I know people who would have hung around cause they'd "never seen a manhole explode" or just out of sheer fucking curiosity/scandal (something to tell their friends)
Take Care both.
Dubz
Thanks dubz. We sorta stuck around...enough to take a few pictures. It was that dude that kind of snapped us back into reality...him saying that another was gonna blow. He was so technical about it and that got us thinking, so we fled the scene. Elsa was really quick. She shot out really fast. LOL
CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT...but it's not gonna get the better of me.
i'm not sure when that manhole blew. i was waiting for you right outside the exit to the venue. when you came out, the firetrucks started to arrive a minute or two later. we went to the corner about 10 feet away to ask what was going on as the firetruck stopped and firefighters were crossing the street and walking towards us. i managed to take one picture but it was dark. all you can see is the glowy parts of the firefighters and the firetruck.
the guy standing with us at the corner was telling us what was happening. we were asking him which way we should start walking. he was saying he thought another manhole would blow and said to go up 15th street. he pointed out the smoke and that it was a fire. i noticed the firefighters did not touch the manhole where the smoke was coming out of it. we were way too close and i wanted to get the hell out of dodge. right then, a cab showed up and i wasted no time jumping in, a little panicked. lisa soon followed and we were gone. relieved to be out of a potentially dangerous situation.
It was just kind of suspicious, that guy standing there telling us that another was gonna blow. I think back and i'm like...what the hell. But this guy sounded like an engineer of some sort.
I remember how bad that explosion was here in San Francisco, me being a block down the road...windows shattered and the buildings shook...that poor woman who lost her life just because she was rounding the corner when it happened, and i had just walked that corner. I don't know...just a little freaked out over the close calls you and i seem to be encountering.
the information guy sure was calm. tall, clean cut and knew way too much about what was happening. how is that possible. he showed up when the firetrucks show up. supposedly a pedestrian passing by? hmmmmm i wonder how normal this is for nyc.
i don't know how we manage to get into so much trouble. this is not normal damnit. i want to see the big picture here or do i. am i being taught lifes little lessons for something bigger? you start to ask questions after awhile. is my number coming up?
a friend of ours is terminally ill. he only has a few more days before he passes. he's way to young and was enjoying life up until he became ill.
well i'm not gonna dwell on trying to find answers. it will come in due course. makes you appreciate life!
Goodness, you two have been close to some dangerous events!
I'm glad you're both okay!
Yeah, that guy being there sounded suspicious...I wouldn't know really what to make of it.
Well, I'm extremely lucky and blessed to not have experienced anything like that **knocks on wood** hopefully all goes well for you in Austin and Houston!
Well, I'm extremely lucky and blessed to not have experienced anything like that **knocks on wood** hopefully all goes well for you in Austin and Houston!
