Clog Likely Responsible for Steam Pipe Blast
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
A small clump of sealant probably caused a deadly steam pipe explosion in midtown Manhattan last summer, the utility responsible for the pipe said.
A spokesman for Consolidated Edison, Michael Clendenin, said Wednesday that the clog apparently came from an epoxy resin injected into the pipe four months before the July 18 blast. The epoxy was being used to seal a flange, or seam, connecting two segments of the steel pipe. Epoxy got into a valve, leading to a buildup of pressure that ruptured the pipe, according to a new report from consultants for the utility. The condition, known as “water hammer,” can result when water condenses in a closed section of pipe. The sudden mix of hot steam and cool water can make pressure surge.
