the sewer saga
Yesterday was a cold and rainy day Husband had just come in from doing errands.
He came into the bedroom where I was resting nursing my COUGH. There's smoke coming out of the sewer, (*) should I call someone? he asked. I croaked that would be a good idea. So he did.
Within minutes 3 fire engines arrived and Husband went out to talk to the firemen. They inspected the wafting smoke and asked for access to our basement.
By now I was up and at the window camera in hand. I took several photos of the firemen and the engines and after I looked at them I saw I had some excellent shots of our window screens.
After checking our basement and attempting to gain access to the next building's basement they determined it was not a fire but an electrical box underground which was leaking; the smoke was actually steam caused by the rain hitting the leaking electrical box. They left after reporting this to Con Ed over a walkie.
About a half hour later a Con Ed Emergency truck arrived. A BIG man with a BIG hammer whacked the sewer cover 3 times and then his assistant, in jeans so baggy I couldnt imagine him not tripping, pried it up and off. Both men had on hard hats, goggles and protective gloves .. the baggy jean guy also had a hoodie on over his hard hat.
They setup a bright yellow gate and a WARNING sign (which later due to wind touched a parked car and set off its alarm...) and prepared to go down into the hole and see what was up.
There was a lot more steam now and so I got my iPhone (I know I should have been in bed but this was exciting and I cant not take pix at times like this) and took the following photos.
As it got later and darker the open hole was eerie to see ..
And this morning they continue to work .. several times they knocked out our internet and our lights ...
Power/cable outage aside, Husband says, and I agree, he did the right thing.
* I have been informed this was a manhole cover not a sewer
He came into the bedroom where I was resting nursing my COUGH. There's smoke coming out of the sewer, (*) should I call someone? he asked. I croaked that would be a good idea. So he did.
Within minutes 3 fire engines arrived and Husband went out to talk to the firemen. They inspected the wafting smoke and asked for access to our basement.
By now I was up and at the window camera in hand. I took several photos of the firemen and the engines and after I looked at them I saw I had some excellent shots of our window screens.
After checking our basement and attempting to gain access to the next building's basement they determined it was not a fire but an electrical box underground which was leaking; the smoke was actually steam caused by the rain hitting the leaking electrical box. They left after reporting this to Con Ed over a walkie.
About a half hour later a Con Ed Emergency truck arrived. A BIG man with a BIG hammer whacked the sewer cover 3 times and then his assistant, in jeans so baggy I couldnt imagine him not tripping, pried it up and off. Both men had on hard hats, goggles and protective gloves .. the baggy jean guy also had a hoodie on over his hard hat.
They setup a bright yellow gate and a WARNING sign (which later due to wind touched a parked car and set off its alarm...) and prepared to go down into the hole and see what was up.
There was a lot more steam now and so I got my iPhone (I know I should have been in bed but this was exciting and I cant not take pix at times like this) and took the following photos.
As it got later and darker the open hole was eerie to see ..
And this morning they continue to work .. several times they knocked out our internet and our lights ...
Power/cable outage aside, Husband says, and I agree, he did the right thing.
* I have been informed this was a manhole cover not a sewer
