Explosion rocks Manhattan - 9/11 memories resurface

[Cleverboy]

Explosion rocks Manhattan
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1841887120070719

Caught this in my news feed tonight. PHOTOS and VIDEO in the link.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An 83-year-old steam pipe exploded underground in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, shaking buildings, creating a towering geyser of debris and sending people fleeing in scenes reminiscent of the September 11 attacks.

Officials in New York and Washington promptly ruled out terrorism. One person died of cardiac arrest and about 20 others were injured, some seriously, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a news conference.

Boiling, brownish water and steam gushed geyser-like at least 120 feet high out of a crater about 20 feet

I feel bad for the person who had a heart attack. That whole scene's gotta be awful.

~ CB

 

[SkyBell]

Explosion rocks Manhattan
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1841887120070719

Caught this in my news feed tonight. PHOTOS and VIDEO in the link.

I feel bad for the person who had a heart attack. That whole scene's gotta be awful.

~ CB

Wow..I was just in Manhatten 3 weeks ago.

 

[adrianblaine]

83 year old steam pipe? It was only a matter of time.

I helped replace steam pipe that was only 30 years old and it looked like it wasn't going to last much longer.

It is sad about the heart attack, but luckily not many people injured, it could have been much worse.

 

[Queso]

Do I take it that the rest of the New York steam system is similarly dilapidated?

 

[Abstract]

Haha, I got a good laugh out of this.

Too bad New Yorkers aren't as tough as Londoners....

 

[Queso]

Too bad New Yorkers aren't as tough as Londoners....

LOL. Not to mention Glaswegians. They would've given that pipe a damn good kicking

 

[0098386]

Is every rumbling going to be "reminiscent" of 9/11? I was in Manchester on the day of the IRA bomb but I've never thought about other loud bangs as any kind of terrorist attack...

 

[iSaint]

Do I take it that the rest of the New York steam system is similarly dilapidated?

I believe much of the country's infrastructure like this is getting old.

 

[Don't panic]

just media hype.
i guarantee that most people here was pissed about traffic delays then thinking about 9/11.
but the problem with the aging pipes (and the asbestos surrounding them) is real.

 

[Cleverboy]

Is every rumbling going to be "reminiscent" of 9/11? I was in Manchester on the day of the IRA bomb but I've never thought about other loud bangs as any kind of terrorist attack...

Just the sudden explosions in the middle of a crowded city, leaving people covered in blood and debris. They're likely to remind people of other traumatic events like it where people are left gawking as victims are escorted out by EMTs. Do empathize of the people nearest the incident, will you?

~ CB

 

[Cleverboy]

Some New Yorkers questioned if the air was safe after false assurances following the September 11 attacks and after utility Consolidated Edison admitted covering up that a steam pipe explosion in 1989, which claimed three lives, spewed asbestos into a residential neighborhood.

Carlos Garcia, an engineer wearing a breathing mask, said he volunteered during the clean-up of the World Trade Center site and would not take any risks now.

"I'm worried about the air ... I survived once so I want to survive the second time," he said. "They lie and they want to cover themselves. They have been lying all along since the World Trade Center."

Residents and workers at Ground Zero were reassured by the Environmental Protection Agency in the days after the September 11 attacks that the air was safe, but dust samples taken at the time found dangerous levels of asbestos.

Apparently one of our design client's members were caught up in this. Just had a client who called with an emergency addition to their webpage about it, as it concerns one of their affilliated companies. Freaky. Lots of questions and distrust concerning air quality right now. Nothing to fool with.

~ CB

 

[rdowns]

The local media, as well as the national, evoking 9/11 was just disgusting. Anything for ratings.

 

[Cleverboy]

The local media, as well as the national, evoking 9/11 was just disgusting. Anything for ratings.

It's mostly about the same asbestos concerns that were dismissed during the 911 incident, and they're dismissing them again. Actually read the story. Don't be ignorant. It's important that local officials get this right, and stop putting people at risk following major incidents. How would you like for city officials to tell you, "Oh, no problem... don't worry about the levels of asbestos!" and then find out later, you've been breathing in toxic levels without adequate warning? Not cool.

~ CB