On Wednesday, July 18, a steam pipe exploded at one of the busiest intersections in the world, Lexington Avenue and 41st Street in New York, at peak rush hour. Local broadcasters were relatively quick to report the breaking news story, but it still took more than 15 minutes before the first reports hit the air, and another 30 minutes before any real information about the nature of the incident was communicated to New York City residents.
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) was not used to communicate information. The system is frequently used for weather and Amber alerts, but public officials failed to use the FCC-mandated emergency broadcast system. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of New Yorkers were in the area leaving work at rush hour on a Friday afternoon without a clue as to the nature of the event.
