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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| Huge Steam Pipe Explosion Kills 1 in NYC |
| 2007-07-19 |
| An underground steam pipe explosion tore through a Manhattan street near Grand Central Terminal on Wednesday, swallowing a tow truck and killing one person as hundreds of others ran for cover amid a towering geyser of steam and flying rubble. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the explosion was not terrorism, though the blast caused a brief panic about a possible attack. Eighteen people were taken to local hospitals, officials said. One person was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital from an apparent heart attack, Bloomberg said. Two were in critical condition and another two were seriously injured. The others suffered minor injuries. The explosion caused widespread chaos as residents and commuters heard a huge blast - and feared for the worst. Thousands of commuters evacuated the train terminal, some at a run, after workers yelled for people to get out of the building. A geyser of steam and mud shot from the center of the blast, generating a tremendous roar. The initial burst of steam rose higher than the nearby 77-story Chrysler Building, one of Manhattan's tallest buildings. Streets were closed in several blocks in all directions. Subway service in the area was suspended. The steam cleared around 8 p.m., exposing a crater several feet wide in the street. A red tow truck lay at the bottom of the hole. Con Edison spokesman Chris Olert said workers were still trying to determine what caused the blast. Kevin Burke, the head of the utility, said the site had been inspected earlier Wednesday after heavy rains flooded parts of the city, but crews found nothing at that time. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #2 Interesting, that the 'explosion' occurred that close to the Grand Central Terminal! I wonder if the Feds would tell us if they found traces of C4 or dynamite at the blast point? Bloomberg didn't say whether pipes 'from the 20's' were in jeopardy in other places as well...hmmm! |
| Posted by: smn 2007-07-19 16:14 |
| #1 swallowing a tow truck
I've seen a few tow trucks around Pentagon City I would have like to have seen .... swallowed up. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-07-19 00:53 |