How could a steam pipe explode so destructively with no warning? Pei-Sze Cheng speaks with witnesses who are afraid they saw warning signs leading up to the explosion. Pei-Sze Cheng reports.
The sudden explosion sent thick steam billowing over Manhattan and left a gaping hole in the middle of the street.
The asbestos-lined 86-year-old steam pipe forced the evacuation of more than four dozen buildings amid "real concern" carcinogenic debris thrown stories high by the rupture could have gotten into people's buildings or air conditioners, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
The blast came almost exactly 11 years to the day of another Manhattan steam pipe blast.
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Steam rises near the site of a steam pipe explosion on Fifth Avenue near the Flatiron District on July 19, 2018, in New York City.
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A man takes a photo near the site of a steam pipe explosion on Fifth Avenue near the Flatiron District on July 19, 2018, in New York City. Buildings were evacuated while multiple streets were closed within the area.
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Steam rises over onlookers near the site of a steam pipe explosion on Fifth Avenue near the Flatiron District on July 19, 2018, in New York City.
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Firefighters work near the scene of a steam pipe explosion on Fifth Avenue near the Flatiron District on July 19, 2018, in New York City.
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A worker looks at steam coming from 5th Avenue after a steam explosion tore apart the street in the Flatiron District of New York on July 19, 2018. Officials said firefighters responded and were evacuating buildings near the accident. The city's fire department reported no injuries or deaths.
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A Con Edison energy company employee talks on the phone as steam rises near the site of a steam pipe explosion on Fifth Avenue near the Flatiron District on July 19, 2018, in New York City.
New York City Emergency Management
Steam rises from a crater left behind by a steam pipe explosion in midtown Manhattan on July 19.
New York City Emergency Management
Steam rises from a crater left behind by a steam pipe explosion in midtown Manhattan on July 19.
NBC New York
Steam rises from a steam pipe explosion in midtown Manhattan on July 19, prompting concerns over asbestos exposure.
NBC New York
Steam rises over midtown Manhattan after an early morning steam pipe explosion caused New Yorkers to evacuate from buildings in the Flatiron district.
NBC New York
The FDNY set up a decontamination station a couple of blocks from the scene for first responders. The explosion prompted concerns of asbestos exposure among New Yorkers.
Here are a few basic facts about the Con Edison steam pipe system found underneath the streets of New York City:
Con Edison’s steam travels under the streets of Manhattan from the Battery to 96th Street on the West Side and from downtown to 89th Street on the East Side.
Con Edison has about 1,600 steam customers, which are all in Manhattan. Steam is mainly used for heat, cooling and hot water. Also, some of the hospitals use it for sterilization of equipment.
Con Edison uses two stations that generate steam and electricity and four steam-only stations.
Con Edison's steam customers tend to be large – Grand Central Terminal, the United Nations, the Empire State Building to name a few.
The steam is distributed to customers through 104 miles of transmission, distribution and service piping.
