An underground steam pipe that exploded in Manhattan yesterday evening created a roar and a huge plume of smoke and sent pedestrians fleeing from the area.
About 30 people were injured, at least four seriously. One person was pronounced dead from an apparent heart attack. Police have said there was no link to terrorism.
New York city officials said a ruptured steam pipe at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 41st Street appeared to have caused a transformer to blow up.
The initial burst of steam from the blast rose higher than the nearby 77-story Chrysler Building, one of Manhattan's tallest buildings, and a loud, constant roar rang out through the streets.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the explosion was not terrorism, though the blast caused a brief panic about a possible attack. "There is no reason to believe whatsoever that this is anything other than a failure of our infrastructure," he said.
The explosion took place during the evening rush hour in one of the busiest sections of the city, near the transportation hub of Grand Central station. Thousands of commuters evacuated the train terminal, some at a run, after workers yelled for people to get out of the building.
Pedestrians sprinted from the scene, many with cell phones glued to their ears, some crying. Some were covered in white ash and soot.
Streets were closed in several blocks in all directions. Subway service in the area was suspended.
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.
In 1989, a gigantic steam explosion ripped through a street, killing three people and sending mud and debris several stories into the air.