Jul 19, 2007 12:41 pm US/Eastern
NYC Finds Asbestos, But Health Problems Unlikely
City Workers Toil To Repair Damage From Steam Pipe Explosion
NEW YORK (CBS News) ―
Officials are searching for answers about what caused a massive steam pipe to explode on Wednesday afternoon. The biggest concern Thursday morning is contaminants in the air.
Office of Emergency Management officials tell CBS station WCBS-TV in New York City that initial tests of the air near the explosion site are negative for asbestos.
However, they say that asbestos was detected in debris and dust in the area.
Air quality tests are still being conducted in the area of the explosion, as city health officials try to determine what other contaminants might have been in the steam spewing from the gaping hole in Midtown Manhattan.
Officials don't know exactly what was in the smoke, but several of the underground pipes were wrapped in asbestos.
Health officials say that brief exposure to the debris-filled air is unlikely to create long-term health problems.
Even so, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "We are going to be super careful, but at this point we just do not know if there is asbestos but we want to err on the side of being cautious."
Officials have determined that buildings near the explosion site are structurally sound, but OEM tells WCBS-TV that those who work in the area won't be allowed into the area between East 40th and East 43rd streets and between Third and Vanderbilt avenues.
Though OEM says the air is free of asbestos, inhalation injury could still potentially be the most serious threat for people in the area.
Symptoms include: cough, shortness of breath, hoarseness, headache and confusion. If you are suffering from any of those symptoms and were in the area, health officials suggest that you get yourself checked out by a doctor just to be safe.
The underground explosion rocked the city bursting through the pavement sending debris flying hundreds of feet as New Yorkers ran to safety.
The roaring and hissing of the steam and water sprayed high into the air, as people feared the worst.
"It was a steam pipe explosion and there is no reason to believe terrorism was involved. It was probably a failure of our infrastructure," Bloomberg said.
It was an 83-year-old high-pressure steam main 24 inches in diameter. When it blew, it took out phone lines and electrical feeders with it.
A tow truck fell into the giant hole that was caused by the explosion and a small school bus could be seen abandoned a short distance away.
Incredibly, cold water can cause something of this magnitude, coming from a broken water main or from heavy rains like we had Wednesday.
But according to Con Ed, the main was checked after the rainfall and nothing indicated the potential for a problem like this.
"We had people go out and inspect they didn't see any vapor condition in this area," a Con Ed spokesperson said.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
