NYC Steam Explosion Updates

Yesterday's steam pipe explosion in Midtown Manhattan at 41st and Lexington left quite a few people shaken as some of the images evoked scenes from 9/11. One person was killed, two people, including the driver of the tow truck that is seen sitting in the crater left by the explosion, are in critical condition with serious burns, and about two dozen others were injured.

The critical jobs at this point are to clean up the scene and reopen the street to traffic. Those jobs will be slowed because tests of ground samples around the vicinity of the explosion showed asbestos.

Eight air samples in the area around the explosion found no sign of asbestos, but six of 10 samples of debris and dust came back positive, the emergency-management agency said Thursday. Residents in the area were to keep windows closed, and anyone exposed to the falling debris was instructed to wash carefully and isolate the clothing they were wearing in plastic bags.

City engineers warned that up to six feet surrounding the giant hole might be in danger of further collapse, and officials said workers would not be allowed into office buildings in a zone that covered several blocks. The Buildings Department determined late Wednesday that nearby buildings were structurally sound but some had suffered water damage and broken windows.

Air samples have not found asbestos in the air, although the City is still warning people that if they live in nearby buildings and did not leave, they should set their air conditioners to recirculate so as to avoid drawing in outside air. If people have left the cordoned off area, they will not be allowed to return until the all clear is given.

Gothamist, in the course of its wall to wall coverage, wonders whether the situation could have been avoidable. Besides routine maintenance and upgrading existing infrastructure? Well, one reader notes that there was quite a bit of utility work in the vicinity.

The NYT has a map of the vicinity and basic layout of a typical steam pipe utility setup.

Once again, a serious incident involving energy infrastructure shows the creaky nature of our infrastructure and the thin line between reliable service and a major incident. Expect Con Ed to be called on the carpet once again for its service, response, and maintenance of the system. Con Ed says that they checked the vicinity earlier in the day as part of their regular maintenance following a heavy rain but found no problems:

Con Edison head Kevin Burke said the site had been inspected hours before the blast as part of a routine response to heavy rain that flooded parts of the city. He said crews had found nothing as they searched for steam rising from manhole covers or cracks in the street - indications that pipes could be in jeopardy. The steam systems are normally inspected every six weeks.

I'll also refer people to what happened in 1989, when another steam pipe explosion in the Gramercy Park section of Manhattan that killed three people and wounded 24. Then, the authorities said that the situation was all clear, only to reverse themsevles days later as samples showed elevated levels of asbestos. It was then predicted it would take at least four weeks to clean up the mess. Lawsuits flew about furiously after that incident, and Con Ed later admitted to engaging in a coverup of the seriousness of the asbestos contamination. Con Ed was subjected to federal monitoring to ensure compliance with federal environmental regulations following that incident.

It will take time to sort out the cause of the explosion and engage in the cleanup, so we'll see how things develop.

UPDATE:
Via Con Ed:

The New York City Department of Health (DOH) has a fact sheet that provides additional information about asbestos. Visit the DOH Web site for more information by clicking on the following link: http://home2.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/ei/eiasbest.shtml.

Approximately 400 specially trained Con Edison employees and certified contractors, in conjunction with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), worked through the night: performing tests on muddy debris and monitoring the air. Together with the DEP, the company has developed a comprehensive plan to remove muddy debris from buildings, streets and vehicles.

Crews also cleaned muddy debris from Third Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets. The company is working to restore service to electric feeder cables and is running temporary cables. In addition, crews excavated and inspected the gas system for possible damage. Fire trucks that responded to the event were decontaminated.

Con Ed is also asking energy consumers in the area to reduce demand.

The New York City Office of Emergency Management has also issued a statement on the situation, which details the steps being taken, the frozen zones, and traffic related issues. However, it doesn't give a timeframe for when they expect people to be able to move freely into the frozen area or when repairs will be completed.

UPDATE:
Where some see just steam and smoke, others see something far more sinister - a Bush conspiracy. Nutters.

UPDATE:
Was human error to blame? Well, CBS News has been talking with someone who is familiar with the NYC steam distribution system and he thinks that human error might have played a role, especially since there are also indications that there was repair work in the vicinity just a month ago. Midtown businesses in the vicinity will certainly be affected for the short term - several days at least. I think Monday is a possibility, though it depends on how extensive the asbestos contamination is.

Of course we're going to see reports about the creaky infrastructure and there are going to be questions asked about how the various systems are maintained and whether we're spending enough - short answer is absolutely not overall. The long answer is that it depends on which part of the infrastructure and where in the country we're talking about.

And for those who are calling for the utility to fix things, are those same people going to complain when the utility calls for rate hikes to cover the additional costs of doing that work, or complain about the inconvenience and hassles due to traffic jams because utility work has torn up streets, reduced parking, or limited access to businesses? Count on it.

The sad truth is that this system, along with other energy distribution systems around the country, mass transit, highways, and the air traffic system all need serious investment to assure a safe, efficient, and reliable system. No one wants to tackle these issues, and in many instances, the utility infrastructure is privately owned and operated.