Midtown East street closures still in effect after steam pipe rupture, businesses losing thousands during cleanup
NEW YORK -- Parts of Second Avenue in Midtown East remain closed due to Wednesday's steam pipe leak, much to the ire of local business owners.
Sensors could be seen being used to test the air for asbestos in the area of 51st and 52nd streets.
Con Edison said it has done 160 tests, all of which showed the air is safe. But it's the cleanup effort that is keeping Second Avenue and several side streets shut down.
"This is all empty," Dadi Mai Restaurant owner Lawrence Micheal said of his establishment.
It was dinner time when Micheal showed CBS New York around, but you wouldn't know it from the dining room.
Michael said he had "zero" customers on Thursday. He and other business owners near 51st and Second say they're losing thousands of dollars per day due to road closures.
"I want a neighborhood, should be safe. I understand that part, but at the same it shouldn't kill small businesses. City has to think about that, too," Micheal said.
Watch Shosh Bedrosian's report
Micheal's pain is being felt elsewhere in the area.
"I own a restaurant and so, I was closed last night, not because I was told to close but because they weren't letting people down the block, and this is the busiest time of year for me and it's killing me," said Dominic Sannino, owner of Mimi's Restaurant and Piano Bar.
"This is what you work for for the whole year. This that added bonus that you get at the end of the year that you kind of anticipate," said Hazem Elgohary, owner of Buttercup Bake Shop.
Mimi's Restaurant and Buttercup Bake Shop rely on foot traffic. The owners said they've lost thousands of dollars and customers since the sidewalks were closed Wednesday morning.
"We make purchases in advance to keep up with the demand that we're going to get during this holiday," said Elgohary. "I don't even want to even tally the numbers. The worst part of it is making the phone calls, 35, 40 phone calls to people who were expecting to celebrate that day."
Elgohary said the bakery was unable to make most of its cake deliveries since the leak happened. They salvaged what they could, but many were thrown away.
"It's the saddest thing to call them up same day and say, 'Hey, little Bob's birthday cake, we made it, it looks beautiful, but we have to throw it out because there's no way to get it out to you,'" said Elgohary.
The bakery is trying to deliver essential cakes to clients who are depending on them.
Watch Tim McNicholas' report
Con Ed and the city said they're working day and night and they did reopen Third Avenue and Lexington Avenue earlier Thursday, but the cleanup and road closures on Second Avenue and nearby side streets will continue Friday.
"Obviously, there's a disruption to daily life," resident Kendra Thomas said.
Thomas said Con Ed placed air filters in her building after one of her neighbors left his windows open during the leak.
"I'm glad it's raining because I think that has at least I think, I hope, kind of put everything down, so to speak. So you're not just inhaling dust flying around," Thomas said.
The NYPD let Thomas past barricades on Thursday night, but people who don't live in the area had to walk around.
Micheal is hoping their detours might lead them to Dadi Ma, now that people are at least allowed to walk on 51st.
"Yesterday, I had to cancel like five deliveries because the delivery boys ... they couldn't make it inside," Micheal said.
The city is not done testing and despite the results so far, it is still asking people to wear masks outside.
Con Ed said four of the eight buildings that lost steam service have now regained service.
