Following a steam pipe leak on the Upper East Side, residents of the area were urged to stay indoors and avoid the asbestos in the atmosphere, according to New York City Emergency Management.
The leak occurred Wednesday near Park Avenue between East 69th and 70th streets, and Con Edison crews were still working to clean up Thursday after asbestos-containing debris was sent in the air, NYCEM reported.
A video from Citizen App showed steam spreading upward onto the street as traffic was blocked up and redirected from the areas.
The utility has since shut off the steam main, and 10 properties in the area temporarily went without heat and hot water due to the outage, Con Edison spokeswoman Elisabeth Farrari told Crain’s. She said once the cleanup was complete, Con Edison intended to excavate the street to assess the damage to the steam main and plan repairs. Crews with utility finished up abatement work on Thursday evening.
Residents were still advised to stay indoors and close their windows on Thursday, NYCEM Executive Director Aries Dela Cruz told PIX11 News. The cleanup was expected to be finished by 2 p.m., and the sidewalks opened up as of Thursday afternoon, Dela Cruz wrote on X.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is monitoring the air quality, NYCEM reported. When asked about air quality testing, a spokesperson for the DEP referred PIX11 reporters to NYCEM.
The mayor’s office did not immediately clarify which department is handling the air quality testing.
Dela Cruz said Thursday that residents living in apartments at 709 Park Avenue through 715 Park Avenue can return home, and if they need to leave, they can head north.
