This happened not far at all from my office, just as I was heading home from work.

This is why I always have an N95 mask with me in the city:
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/us/071807nycsteamblast/im:/070719/480/4d44decea5ea49bba89e9e121f8f5be0;_ylt=AsNqMd8EDWo1Emva1LQYNgFsaMYA

The pipe is presumed to have been covered in asbestos.

Cause is reported as cold water hitting a 24" steam pipe.

NYC has an extensive steam pipe network. The steam is used both for heat in the winter and to operate air conditioner compressors in the summer. The steam is produced in the power generating stations located around the city.

Gees, I would think electricity would be more servicable and a lot safer than steam lines these days. I knew there were still some out there, but apparently there is a lot more than I imagined.

I guess if something works then you might as well stick with it, but I gotta believe that it might be time to start considering taking a step forward from the 1920s for infrastructure service?

Is that a school bus stopped almost in the middle of the cloud???

I saw a similar busted steam main back around 2000. It was around E 70th St between 5th Ave and Madison. I don't remember news coverage about it, nor any worry about asbestos. Then again, this was a relatively quiet side street on a weekend, not Grand Central during a weekday rush. Well, plus that was still the pre-9/11 world.

There was no explosion that I heard that day, but there was a similar huge jet of grey steam that rose high into the air. Looked like a mini Mt. St. Helens right there in the middle of the city. One thing which I haven't heard on any of the news stories, or heard any of the witnesses mention, is the tremendous sound that the steam makes. I was a block away and the sound was like standing next to a jet engine.

OBG, regarding the vehicle, apparently the ground gave way beneath a parked tow truck, so that's what is in the hole. Not sure if that's the vehicle you're mentioning or another vehicle that is still on the street surface. I heard one witness describe what another person told him. This other guy was riding a city bus which was right next to the explosion point. Apparently the blast was strong enough to bust out all the windows on the bus, and everyone frantically scrambled to get off the bus. Bits of asphalt rained down on them as they ran away from the bus.

Steam in NYC:

http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20031110/200/674

Yup, that's a school bus alright, prety close to the hole. I hope all the kids got out safely.



I'd never even heard of this kind of underground steam pipe before this incident, but then I don't live in NYC. Even so, as volatile as high-pressure steam can be, it's got nothing on natural gas or liquid propane, both of which are used extensively throughout the United States for heating and cooking. I'd rather get rid of them than the steam pipes.

From what I have heard, the driver of the tow truck survived but is very badly burned. The fatality was indirectly caused, the person died of a heart attack.

I'm pulling for the tow truck driver.


JimJr

Test showed no asbestos in the air, all fine except the one guy who died from a heart attack. The steam 'ball' was insane!!!!!