From the NY Post:Con Edison workers did not evacuate the Queens block where a mother of three was killed by a gas-leak explosion despite reading sky-high levels of gas under the street, officials said yesterday.
Yesterday, utility crews discovered a two-inch hole in the gas main just outside the Floral Park home of Ghanwatti Boodram, who died in the explosion.
...the hole in the pipe was likely the cause of the gas smell that a neighbor called to report at 3:34 p.m.
A Con Ed worker responded about 40 minutes later and found low gas levels. But when they starting testing a manhole nearby, they found that the air was more than 80 percent gas -- an extremely volatile mixture.
The worker called in an emergency at 4:15 p.m. and continued to take readings, but no one was evacuated.
Additional crews pulled up 35 minutes later, just as Boodram's house burst into flames.
27 comments:
Did not the experience of western Queens a few years back teach you anything?
The grid collapsed while the Tower People sail serenely by.
Con Ed's A Team is busy putting in new work for development.
The rest of us get the 'Home Militia'.
I'm sure they didn't want to inconvenience the woman. Evacuations are very traumatic, afterall.
Yeah "They're are on it" aren't they.
Words canot express my dismay at the needless death and destruction.
Why was there a 2-inch hole in a gas main. Could criminal acts have taken place?
Con Ed is needlessly made the whipping boy.
In the choatic swirl of development and illegal conversions no untility can keep up.
Just take a look a the power grid in a third world country with lines going everywhere.
Ever see the cable guys as of late?
Years ago every installation was neat and tidy.
Today a slapdash speghetti.
Another reason why there should be criminal investigations of the gang who runs Con Ed.
Blame overdevelopment too, but in third would countries some are trying to install "first world" power systems (it's true).
They get away with it because apparently it's not illegal.
Don't worry, your 6 percent rate hike will help take care of the lawsuit that will follow. Of course it would never be enough to take away the suffering of this woman's family. I pray she is resting in peace and, if not, that she's haunting the people responsible.
May God bless this woman and her family. May she rest in peace.....
CON ED IS IN BIG TROUBLE!
"CON ED IS IN BIG TROUBLE!"
WE are all in big trouble. Especially when Con Ed raises our rates because of the zillion dollars they will have to pay this family.
WE are all in big trouble. Especially when Con Ed raises our rates because of the zillion dollars they will have to pay this family
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wow the mighty dollar is worth more than a life? they are gonna raise your rates regadless, have some compassion.
@Anonymous: Houses in this area of Floral Park (built in the 50s) are prone to leaks of rainwater through cement stairs, which can cause rust in gas pipes in the basement. So, umm, your 'shoddy construction' actually took place over 50 years ago.
Incidentally, how is it that the city has roving pothole repair for a relatively innocuous problem on highways, but cannot seem to patrol our streets for (deadly) gas leaks?
So, umm, your 'shoddy construction' actually took place over 50 years ago.
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Because in Queens, since so many are lazy and let the pols do their thinking, they blame whomever the pols lay the blame.
The management of Con Ed does not do street work. But after 100 years, the craft people at Con Ed MIGHT know something about electric generation and distribution. Its not rocket science but something pretty much figured out when we still rode in carriages drawn by horses.
The only blame we can lay on Con Ed is that they keep their mouth shut on the abuse heaped on the power grid by clubhouse tweeding efforts. The fact of the matter is no one has the foggiest notion just how many people live in the borough. How do you plan? How can you lay cable and put in transformers?
Look at schools and subways and hospitals. The boro is a joke.
If Con Ed protests too much the frenzied mob the hacks whipped up would cheer 'eminent domain' as the government seizes control of the utility.
You want it run by hacks?
Take a look at DOB, DOE, or City Planning, etc etc. If you think things are bad now, wait till they put their 'bhoys' in.
Then you will have all kinds of problems and no one will say 'boo'.
"@Anonymous: Houses in this area of Floral Park (built in the 50s) are prone to leaks of rainwater through cement stairs, which can cause rust in gas pipes in the basement. So, umm, your 'shoddy construction' actually took place over 50 years ago."
Didn't realize a leak in a basement pipe would cause high levels of gas in a manhole in the street.
Maybe, just maybe it was an accident. I feel sorry for the family and their loss. But honestly it could have been much worse. Who remembers the the big gas explosion in New Jersey?
What part of "they found that the air was more than 80 percent gas -- an extremely volatile mixture" and DIDN'T evacuate the block is not understood?
What part of "they found that the air was more than 80 percent gas -- an extremely volatile mixture" and DIDN'T evacuate the block is not understood?
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To where, the next block that might be 90% gas?
When you have an emergency, you follow procedure. Some times it works, other times it doesn't.
Wild ass panic generally is more dangerous than not. You just can't run around yelling like headless chickens the "Russians are coming the Russians are coming".
How about, "Sir, madam, we detected high levels of gas in the vicinity and for your own safety, we suggest you leave your home until we complete our investigation." and then direct them to the nearest public gathering area?
Your above comments hit it right on the head QC... Thank you!
Asking a person to leave their home because of an extremely dangerous condition is not 'wild ass panic.' Not telling a person that the condition is so dangerous is criminal.
How about, "Sir, madam, we detected high levels of gas in the vicinity and for your own safety, we suggest you leave your home until we complete our investigation." and then direct them to the nearest public gathering area?
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What is a 'public gathering area'?
Which is ... out on the street ... and hopefully not a place with another gas accumulation.
How do you move the bed ridden? What about spending time doing that in a house which is ok, and you never get to the house next door that is not.
I think you should call the police, fire, and the emergency services.
But again, we are so conditioned to knocking Con Ed that criticism is a knee-jerk reaction.
Just wait to the hacks take over.
Then the fun begins.
Con Ed should have alerted the people living on that block that there was a dangerous situation. If they chose to ignore the warning, then the blame lies on them. If Con Ed had called 911 instead of their home office as soon as the gas levels were detected, then emergency personnel would have arrived soon enough to evacuate the people, including the bedridden.
A public gathering area is a park, library, school, etc. A place that should already be designated in case of a problem. Ask the Red Cross.
Sad that we have absolutely no plan in place for when there is an emergency.
A public gathering area is a park, library, school, etc. A place that should already be designated in case of a problem. Ask the Red Cross.
AND HOW CAN YOU ASSUME THAT PLACE IS SAFE?
I REMEMBER WHEN THE GRID FAILED IN ASTORIA, THEY WENT UP AND DOWN BLOCKS WARNING PEOPLE OF DANGEROUS ACCUMULATIONS OF GAS.
NOT A PEEP IN THE MEDIA. ITS A TWO WAY STREET YOU KNOW. MAYBE THE POLS WANT THESE PROBLEMS CONTAINED.
Because there very likely would have been a call made about a strong gas smell in that location.
The cost of all lawsuits filed against Con Ed will be passed along to its customers!
Con Ed is still run like an ancient fiefdom...with it's lazy management far removed from any sense of reality.
CON JOB EDISON DID NOT FOLLOW STANDARD SAFETY PROCEDURE!
And that's the bottom line!
Those criminal SOBS!
There's a little point that might be escaping a few of you folks.
This Floral Park area is viewed primarily as what some might call "working class".
In other words...it's "red-lined"!
Co Ed feels it's not entitled to the same blue chip service that they deliver to the more posh leafy green northeast environs of the borough!
Let's examine Mr. Angry's take.
Yep, summed it up in one sentence.
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