Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Worst NYC Case Scenarios by the NY Times
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 23, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 23, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
After this week's bizarre and somewhat alarming Roosevelt Island tram stoppage, people have been alternately thanking their lucky stars they weren't on the thing and wondering if they'd be stuck somewhere. So the NY Times decided to find out some answers about some possible situations:
In a spirit of public paranoia, The New York Times came up with five other places you would not want to get stuck and presented them to the Fire and Police Departments to see how they would respond. All the situations were unique to New York, and none were related to terrorism.
Ha! They are: Water Tunnel No. 3; The Wonder Wheel at Coney Island; Skyfari Tram at the Bronx Zoo while over lions; a commuter helicopter crash in the East River; and on faulty scaffolding on the Empire State Building. Apparently the FDNY asked the Wonder Wheel operators if they could do practice drills there, but the Wonder Wheel people said no. Gothamist would like to add a few other places we wouldn't want to be stuck: Any subway under the East River - that's a long walk; caught in the middle of North River Wastewater Treatment Plant - stinky!; and in the middle of Times Square on a nice Saturday - why do these tourists walk so slow!
Where wouldn't you want to be stuck? How do you think the NYPD and FDNY would respond?
Photograph by Tien Mao
Tagged
bronx
bronx zoo
coney island
crash
east river
empire state
empire state building
fdny
fire
gothamist
jen chung
new york
new york times
News: NYC
ny times
nypd
people
police
roosevelt island
State Building
subway
The New York
the new york times
this week
Tien Mao
Times Square
wonder wheel
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
5 men charged with trespassing in 2 Manhattan manhole cases
Two people who were found soaking wet and smelling of sewage say they went underground to look for jewelry, according to police and a criminal complaint.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 7:49 p.m. ET
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
News
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .