Breaking: Steam Pipe in New York City
A steam pipe exploded on Manhattan’s East Side, right in the middle of evening rush hour. One person is dead and more than twenty are injured. Eyewitnesses describe it as “the scariest thing I’ve seen since 9/11” — a scene of mass hysteria, with “thousands running fearfully” through city streets.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is giving a briefing right now. In the real-time coverage of these events on the New York Times’s excellent City Room blog, there’s a shout-out to one of your favorite law firms:
6:55 p.m. | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, a large law firm with offices at 425 Lexington Avenue, at East 43rd Street, was one of many companies to evacuate their workers.“It sounded at first like thunder, but it just didn’t end. It was a really loud, deep, sustained explosion,” said Andrew T. Frankel, a partner at the firm, who works on the 23rd floor. “We all looked out the window and saw black smoke just billowing up 43rd Street. It was pretty frightening, more for the unknown than anything. Nobody waited for the evacuation warning. Everybody headed for the stairwell and headed out of the building. People were tense, but calm.”
“We did floor sweeps and there’s nobody left in the building except the emergency response team in the lobby,” said an operator who answered calls to employees at the firm.
Not even WP? You know something is up when a Biglaw shop is deserted by 7 PM. On a Wednesday.
If you witnessed this evening’s events, please share what you saw, in the comments.
Steam Explosion Jolts Midtown; One Person Is Confirmed Dead [City Room / New York Times]
One Dead After East Side Explosion [WNBC.com]
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First to say, F-U ConEd
It said that people didn't wait for evacuation at STB, they just got up and got the fuck out.
Mark my words -- someone is going to have some tale of their boss being insane about them leaving.
Anyone know if DPW (45th & Lex) evacuated too?
That picture is pretty damn scary. Are we sure this isn't terror related?
That's a big-ass steam pipe.
What's WP?
Ok STB associates.
So did you get up and walk out, or hem and haw?
Wp= word processing dept.
CNN says it was a transformer, not a steam pipe.
CNN changed the article without changing the headline. Now they say it was a steam pipe that burst, which in turn caused the transformer explosion.
Looked straight out my window, looked like a building blew up. Never want to see something like that again.
Fled down 30 flights of stairs with hundreds of other people - everyone was convinced it was a terrorist attack. Firm emptied out in minutes.
Now, walking around, people are eating outdoors and yucking it up. Resilient NYC spirit.
Our office is one block away - 41st between 3rd and 2nd avenues. I also heard a constant rumbling, and our entire office was evacuated within a 5 minute period. No word on whether the office will be open tomorrow, but reports on local news were saying that electric, water, and steam might have to be turned off in the immediate area for a week.
People were freaked out, thought a building came down, assumed terrorism, etc.
I was in Simpson's attorney lounge chatting with F.A.O. Schwarz, Jr. about his new book when the explosion happened. Everybody seemed to move directly to the fire stairs without a second thought once an apt associate by a window pointed out that people were frantically running away from Grand Central with arms flailing about. At first, I was disappointed I didn't get to partake of the refreshments spread. When I looked downtown as I walked out of the lobby, though, I thought the Chanin Building was gone. I got serious and darted uptown as fast as I could in my Alden oxfords. I wonder if tomorrow will be a firm holiday.
Is everyone OK? And by everyone, I mean the WGWAG couples?
We heard the rumble and looked out the window of the office and immediately started shouting Go Go Go and running for the stairwell. We thought there had been a bomb in grand central or near by. we saw people running and waiving their arms wildly. stairwell was a frantic disaster--many lost their shoes. most everyone left without grabbing purses, wallets--anything. now they are saying there might be asbestos and the last time this happened in 1989 when there was asbestos people weren't allowed in the buildings near by for 3 months! what will we do!
Steam pipes to $190!
Steam pipes are wrapped in asbestos, I hope too many people weren't breathing in the vicinity. Anyone who has that crap on their clothes and throws them in their washer/dryer will contaminate their whole laundry room.
Mmm... asbestos litigation. Cash cow.
Re: 10:07PM:
It always comes down to litigation.
lol 9:53
Check out the photo essay on the Times website. Insane.
NY to 190! just for putting up with ConEd's.
Davis Polk also evacuated. 45th and Lex
Can anyone confirm that STB is closed tomorrow? TIA
I saw the 4 5 6 is closed tomorrow. Does anyone have any idea whether the line is like seriously effed up long term or is this just a one or two day cancellation? It's going to be packed tomorrow on the remaining subways.
I evacuated because it was coming directly at me at Lex and 41st - Wilson Elser...I had to run down 25 flights and then run about a mile to the East river...as possible as I could humanely get there...which turns out, was super fast.
As someone who actually stood directly next to the explosion, I can assure, I thought today was the day I was going to die.
And although Wilson Elsers building (150 E42nd) is Lex 41st to 42nd, they are saying that the firm will be open tomorrow. Hooray! Now I can go back to the single most horrifying experience of my life thus far less than 24 hours after the fact. Insurance Defense FOREVA!
Oh, and I left my ipod and meterocard there. I bet they are so bummed about that.
All firms with offices between 40th and 43rd Streets and between Vanderbilt and Park Avenues are closed Thursday.
Not that it's the firms' policy; the city just isn't letting anyone in that area. Other firms may be affected by the equipment staging areas from 38th to 45th and from 3rd Ave to Park.
No official word on asbestos contamination.
Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan - 40th and Park was also evacuated. Insurance to 100!
Just to clarify, the "Frozen Zone" apparently covers 42nd between Vanderbilt and Third, and 40th and 41st from at least the east side of Park to Third.
It's unclear, but the zone may extend a little west of there (e.g., to Madison and covering both sides of Park) below 42nd, since Vanderbilt doesn't cut through there.
NYC.gov is reporting no asbestos in the air, but the debris has tested positive, so no clue when people will be allowed back in the area.
I worked in the building directly next to the explosion and so my doctor was requested that I get a chest xray today since I breathed it all in while evacuating out of my building. If you were in the immediate area during the explosion, I would ask your doctor if you need one as well.
Obviously I meant "has" and not "was"...Im not doing well on the little amount of sleep I had on Ambien.
I breathe in gas fumes for 10 minutes every time I pump my car. Maybe I should get a chest x-ray for that?
9:54: You can also go fuck yourself. So you have options.
Don't make light of asbestos exposure. Some things just are not funny.
"I breathe in gas fumes for 10 minutes every time I pump my car. Maybe I should get a chest x-ray for that?"
Last I checked, gas fumes didn't contain thousands of cell-sized needles per breath that become lodged in the plural lining of the lungs and repeatedly stab new and developing cells, causing the lungs to fill with fluid, become scarred and brittle, and eventually fail or become cancerous.
Time to send all your document requests and mean-spirited discovery dispute letters to STB!
Due to reports that a transformer contributed to the accident, Optimus Prime will be holding a press conference at 11:00.
Most asbestos in America is the chrysotile kind. Chrysotile asbestos is only mildly dangerous if you are exposed to it in a non-occupational environment. The dangers of chrysotile asbestos has been severely overblown by gullible juries everywhere.
If you breathe the stuff day in day out, then you might get mesothelioma, but you would also get cancer if you breathe gas fumes everyday.
http://lungdiseases.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/g/chrysotile_def.htm
Anyone else notice that the frozen zone isn't really frozen? This morning I saw a ton of people walking around streets that were "supposed" to be off limits.
Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker is also closed today...and for who knows how much longer. They are located in the building that spans the block of 42nd-41st and Lex to 3rd Ave.
I wonder if my windows got blown out. My office faces the explosion.
In response to the Bush Administration's stance that "the Transformers are either with us or against us," Prime will offer full cooperation with authorities.
In response to the Bush Administration's stance that "the Transformers are either with us or against us," Prime will offer full cooperation with authorities.
are Simpson's associates required to work from home today?
More asbestos, more asbestos!
10:33 - still waiting to hear what the story is - just know the offices are closed "for the morning."
All your steampipes are belong to us!
-Megatron
10:12, thanks to your ground-breaking research on About.com, we can now rest assured that no one in America, including anyone who was near the explosion, is in danger of developing mesothelioma.
NYC is such a hell hole
I think following on the Lolcats trend we need some NYC BigLaw lolcats ... 'I canz not work in asbestoz?'
Though they have nothing on these loldogs ... http://www.bestweekever.tv/bwe/images/2007/07/Vick-Dogs2.jpg
Simpson's offices are just above the "frozen zone," so they may well open later.
CAN WE PLEASE GET BACK TO TALKING ABOUT MEN LOOKING AT OTHER MEN'S JOHNSON'S IN THE BATHROOM?
STB's offices will not be open today and probably tomorrow (and after that who knows) because, in addition to the debris and asbestos issues, Con Ed is not allowing buildings in the immediate area to run on full power. More than a few associates fled the building without blackberries, wallets and purses -- we haven't heard yet when we can get back in to get them.
CAN WE PLEASE GET BACK TO TALKING ABOUT MEN LOOKING AT OTHER MEN'S JOHNSON'S IN THE BATHROOM?
12:00 - 12:01 - 12:03 - etc.
Don't be surprised if you get banned from commenting here.
I'm disappointed it only resulted in 2 days off - I was expecting a week.