Con Edison Steam Release Causes Loud "Explosion" Sounds On Upper East Side
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Upper East Side residents were alarmed Tuesday evening when they started hearing loud explosion-like noises.
People quickly took to social media looking for an explanation for the deafening sounds.
#nyc #uppereastside #manhattan so loud!!! What's going on??? pic.twitter.com/ZMi0c0yK9w
— Nikki Potnick (@_Libero_Grande) January 25, 2017
Con Edison responded to customer complaints on their official Twitter handle, saying their steam department was aware of the situation and was working to correct it safely and quickly.
If you're hearing loud "explosion" sounds please don't panic. @ConEdison is safely releasing steam on York Ave. #UpperEastSide #UES #NYC pic.twitter.com/wggNRrt1lX
— NYPD 19th Precinct (@NYPD19Pct) January 25, 2017
Shortly after that, the NYPD's 19th District tweeted that the noises came from Con Edison safely releasing steam on York Avenue.
"If you're hearing loud 'explosion' sounds, please don't panic," the district tweeted.
According to Con Edison, a defective valve tripped a safety valve at their 75th Street steam plant around 7:38 p.m. The safety valve released a buildup of steam -- approximately 310 pounds' worth.
The release of the steam caused the loud noise heard by residents across the Upper East Side.
There were no injuries or customer disruptions as the incident appears to be completely mechanical.
Con Edison expects the faulty valve to be fixed by 10:00 p.m.