Steam leak cleanup concludes on Upper East Side

On Wednesday around 12:30 p.m., a steam leak on Park Avenue at East 69th Street caused debris, some containing asbestos, to spread in the area.

Edric Robinson

Aug 2, 2024, 12:30 AM

Updated 44 days ago

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News 12 NY is following up on a steam leak that happened on Wednesday on the Upper East Side, which impacted traffic and raised health concerns due to asbestos detection.
On Wednesday around 12:30 p.m., a steam leak on Park Avenue at East 69th Street caused debris, some containing asbestos, to spread in the area. Initially, city officials advised residents to close their windows for safety. Some nearby customers lost hot water as Con Edison began cleanup efforts.
By Thursday morning, cleanup crews had worked through the night, clearing off exposed cars and continuing to monitor air quality. Residents were still advised to keep their windows shut until all air sampling results were available.
According to Con Edison and the city's Emergency Management Team, thorough air quality tests were conducted to monitor the area. By Thursday afternoon, residents of 709 through 715 Park Ave. were able to access their apartments safely. Cleanup operations concluded around 2 p.m., and all air monitoring tests showed no harmful levels of asbestos.
Aries Dela Cruz, with the Office of Emergency Management, provided an update noting that cleanup of the affected area has concluded, and all air monitoring tests have shown negative.
Con Edison will continue repairs on the steam pipe as normal. Residents are now safe to open their windows and go about their routines.