An underground steam pipe explosion tore through a New York street near Grand Central Terminal yesterday, swallowing a tow truck and killing one person as hundreds of others ran for cover amid a towering geyser of steam and flying rubble.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the explosion was not terrorism, though the blast caused a brief panic about a possible attack.
Eighteen people were taken to local hospitals, officials said.
One person was pronounced dead from an apparent heart attack. Two were in critical condition and another two were seriously injured.
The others suffered minor injuries.
The explosion caused widespread chaos as residents and commuters heard a huge blast -- and feared for the worst.
Thousands of commuters evacuated the train terminal, some at a run, after workers yelled for people to leave the building.
A titanic geyser of steam and mud shot from the centre of the blast, generating a tremendous roar.
The initial burst of steam rose higher than the nearby 77-storey Chrysler Building, one of Manhattan's tallest buildings.
The air near the site was filled with debris.
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