First responders arrived on the scene where the steam pipe burst on E. 52nd Street between 1st and 2nd avenues.
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Test results for asbestos contamination are pending following the Midtown steam pipe rupture on Wednesday morning that forced panicked locals to shelter in place.
The pipe began leaking near East 52nd Street between 1st and 2nd avenues at around 2 a.m. on Dec. 27, and finally erupted at 5:30 a.m. that morning — sending plumes of white water vapor into the air.
Nearby buildings and parked cars were quickly covered in a layer of soot as the situation worsened throughout the early morning, until workers with Con Edison finally stopped the leaking vapor at around 6:45 a.m.
Con Edison’s Vice President of Steam Operations Hugh Grant, told locals at the scene that they were monitoring the area for asbestos, and warned locals to stay away from the area.
“Currently, there’s no active condition. We do have a potential asbestos release, so we are working closely with other agencies to ensure the safety of the public and our employees,” Grant said.
.@ConEdison Steam Emergency: Con Edison is advising anyone in the vicinity of E 52 St & 2nd Ave to stay clear of the area for safety reasons and close all windows.
— NYCEM – Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) December 27, 2023
Emergency responders with the city were seen handing out N95 medical masks, and NYPD officers closed off several blocks surrounding the location.
“We want to let residents in the area know that we’re doing all that we can to take care of this, and expedite things,” said the city’s Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “But people should be staying clear of this area.”
Test results for asbestos are expected to come later this afternoon, according to Iscol, who said that his agency was not yet clear on the cause of the pipe’s leak.
“The big thing we’re working on right now is we’re doing some air quality testing,” Iscol added….
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