Steam Explosion Scares New York City

A steam explosion tore through a Manhattan street near Grand Central Terminal July 20, during the evening rush hour, sending residents running for cover aid a plume of steam. New York Police Department spokesman, said it was not terrorism related. There was no immediate word on injuries. Subway service was suspended. A geyser of steam, sometimes white and sometimes muddy brown, shot into the air from a gaping hole in the street near the train station and was as high as the nearby Chrysler Building The air near the site was filled with debris. Millions of pounds of steam are pumped beneath New York City streets every hour,heating and cooling thousands of buildings,including the Empire State Building.