BLAST OF ASBESTOS Powerful steampipe explosion forces evacuation of 500 residents in Flatiron District
A booming steam pipe explosion spewed dangerous asbestos around the Flatiron District on Thursday, forcing the evacuation of nearby buildings and snarling traffic throughout the neighborhood.
Plumes of white steam and smoke rose 70 feet into the sky from the ruptured 20-inch pipe on Fifth Ave. near 21st St., shrouding the iconic Flatiron Building while closing streets and disrupting subway service,
The force of the 6:39 a.m. Manhattan explosion sent toxic dust flying into the air from the asbestos-lined pipe, which was installed in 1932, as it blew a massive hole in the street. Roughly 500 residents of the neighborhood were forced out of their homes by the blast, officials said.
“We know, thank God, no one was seriously injured,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Testing took place as a result of the rupture. … We have confirmed the presence of asbestos.”
The mayor added that testing indicated the air in the neighborhood was safe despite the asbestos, although the city still planned to wash down the streets and check 28 buildings evacuated after the blast. The need for a full cleanup of the blast debris could close the “hot zone” stretch of Fifth Ave. between 19th and 22nd Sts. through Sunday.
As of Thursday night, W. 23rd St. was closed between Sixth and Madison Aves. while Broadway and Fifth Ave. were both shut down from W. 17th to W. 23rd Sts.
Debris was visible on the street and some building facades hours after the blast. A Con Edison spokeswoman said air conditioning and hot water service to 27 buildings were affected.
“I looked around and saw this big huge plume of steam shoot into the air,” recounted Daniel Lizio-Katzen, 42, who was riding his bike home to the West Village. “It was a pretty violent explosion. The steam was shooting up into the air about 70 feet. It was pushing up at such a high pressure that it was spewing all of this dirt and debris. The cars around were coated in mud ... It left a huge crater in the middle of the street.”
Consulting firm worker Jerry Bonura was riding a Citi Bike at Fifth Ave. and 25th St. when he first saw the smoke
cloud billowing along the street.
“I could tell it probably wasn't a fire since the smoke was lightly colored as opposed to dark colored from a building fire,” said Bonura. “And I heard kind of a windy/ blowing noise coming from it.”
Five civilians, two firefighters, three NYPD traffic agents and a police officer sustained minor injuries, while about 100 firefighters, utility workers and local residents underwent precautionary decontamination. Their clothing was bagged for cleaning, officials said.
“It does get hot. (The HAZMAT suits) don't bend very well, so guys can overheat,” said NYPD Sgt. Dan Conforti, who's assigned to the department's Strategic Response Group. “We got a couple guys who overheated, dehydration, stuff like that.”
Some of the evacuees had to run out without vita; medication and clothing, he said. “In that case, we're gonna suit up and go into the hot zone to get that medication and bring it out to them,” Conforti said.
Nearby streets, including 19th St. to 23rd St. from Sixth Ave. to Broadway, were closed after the blast, creating a monster rush hour nightmare in both the morning and evening. R and W trains were bypassing 23rd St. in both directions.
“The major disruption is that not only did the steam line burst, but it caused a disruption of a gas line, a water main and some electrical power,” said FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro.
Greg Ettin, 56, lives in an apartment in the “hot zone” with his wife and three children, and he said his window is coated with asbestos.
Ettin, who was headed out of a temporary shelter at the Clinton School on E. 15th St., said he has no idea when his family will be able to go home.
“For all their planning, they have no plan,” he said of city officials.
His 8-year-old son, Leo, was still wearing baseball cleats from practice Thursday morning.
“Do you have underwear on you? I don't,” Ettin said.
He added, “All I want to do is go in and get some essentials .... My daughter has asthma. Her medicine is in my suitcase (at home). No one should be able to go into my apartment without me. If (an emergency worker) is willing to go in, I'm willing to go in. Give me a mask.”
A total of 140 firefighters from 39 units turned out for the incident.
Brendan Walsh, 22, a senior at NYU, had just exited a 6 train and was headed to class when he saw the plumes rising six stories high.
“There was a large scatter of debris,” he said. “I was standing behind the police line when a Con Ed worker came rushing over and screaming at police and firefighters to push everyone north because he was worried that there could be secondary manhole explosions.
“Everyone — including the police and firefighters who were standing by — started moving back,” he added. “The smoke was shooting up from the manhole and a large crowd had gathered.”
Con Ed workers were on scene isolating the steam lines. The FDNY was monitoring the air quality and had set up two decontamination areas, while the American Red Cross was operating a reception center to assist residents evacuated from the area.
Anyone exposed to debris from the blown pipe was advised to remove their clothing, place the items in a clear plastic bag and take a shower. Local residents were urged to keep their windows closed and set air conditioners to recirculate indoor air.
The city also warned people to report the presence of any debris rather than try to remove anything by hand.The FDNY and NYPD, along with the departments of Environmental Protection, Buildings, Emergency Management, and Health and Mental Hygiene remained onsite in the aftermath of the scary explosion.