New York City officials are still investigating the cause of the July 18 steam pipe explosion in Midtown Manhattan, but a specialist in the analysis of steam pipe corrosion says there may be no reason to believe that the incident means the city's 105 miles of aging steam mains pose an imminent danger.
The explosion spewed rubble and debris into the air a block east of Grand Central Terminal, with a plume of steam billowing from the pipe at Lexington Avenue and 41st St. Samples from the debris tested positive for asbestos. It was the first blast of its kind in Manhattan since a steam pipe ruptured in the Gramercy Park area, killing three, in 1989. Police blamed last week's blast for the death of a woman who suffered a heart attack, as well as various injuries and tens of millions of dollars in damage to the area.