August 20th, 2007

Following the recent eruption in Manhattan, New York, where steam and debris streamed through a street in the area, the air in the area has had to be tested by environmental officials. Although asbestos was found to be present in the dust that settled, officials have stated that the test result have indicated that the air is safe.

The eruption occurred around the Grand Central Terminal after a steam pipe that was over eighty years old ruptured. For many it was a reminder of the 9/11 disaster. One onlooker stated: "I said, 'I hope that's a train' I didn't know whether a building was collapsing. We heard it, and I just took off.''

Another onlooker stated: "We were scared to death. It sounded like a bomb hit or a bomb went off, just like 9/11. People were hysterical, crying, running down the street. It was really surreal.''

In 1989 a similar incident with a steam pipe occurred in the Gramercy Park area, and this resulted in the death of several people in the area as well as resulting in asbestos dust being released into the air.