10 Gramercy Park (20th St)I lived here until the street blew up. "Don't fix it if it ain't broke," was the City's mantra. Con Edison turned off the steam to fix something. By the time they turned it back on, water in the pipes had condensed. Hot pressurized steam rushing into the pipes created "the jackhammer effect," instantly vaporising the water. Baboom! A section of the street, full width and 40 metres long blew about 50 metres into the air. A neighbour asleep on the tenth floor was scalded to death. Everything was covered in asbestos dust. My office was a long block away on Fifth Ave. |