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West 34th Street Water Main Break Causes Penn Station Flooding
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 23, 2012
Modified Aug 23, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 23, 2012
Modified Aug 23, 2012
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West 34th Street between 6th and 8th Avenues was closed for hours this morning after a water main broke, flooding the area. According to WABC 7, "The 34th Street entrance to the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 subway lines was closed, as was the entrance to the Long Island Rail Road, but both reopened around 5:30 a.m. One lane of traffic in each direction on 34th Street opened around 6:45 a.m. after the block was completely shut down to traffic."
The main broke around 10 p.m. inside 250 West 34th Street. Con Ed shut down steam and a FDNY official used a hydraulic pump to remove some of the water. An FDNY official said, "DEP got here pretty quick. They looked at their charts and maps. They figured out where the isolation valves are. They shut it down, and it stopped the leak. And we were able to work with Con Ed to make sure that the building was safe." One witness Tweeted around midnight, "At midnight, steam was billowing from a floor grate just outside Penn Station's 34th St. entrance, and downstairs, Duane Reade was flooded."
Some escalators and elevators were turned off—as one worker told WCBS 2, “With the water on the floor, we don’t want to take the chance of anything shorting out. Water and electricity don’t match and we didn’t want anyone getting hurt."
Folks who commute and work near there—how are things looking now?
Tagged
flooding
penn station
water main break
west 34th
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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