I can't find any record of what might have happened - but here's my experience of it:
I was walking on Houston Street this past Saturday, March 3, 2007 - at almost exactly 8 p.m. I was approaching the corner of Houston and Lafayette - a block before the Angelica Film Center - I was walking from east to west - and I heard (felt) SOME kind of explosion. Like - I felt it, whatever it was, in the sidewalk - and also my eardrums. It was unmistakable - it wasn't a car backfiring - it had a much larger feel to it. As I got near Lafayette - I could see that there were about 6 firetrucks all parked there - with firemen milling about - streets blocked off - and cop cars on the periphery - with cops holding down the fort, directing people this way and that. There appeared to be smoke in the air - but there was also the telltale steam coming out of the grates. I couldn't see any evidence of an explosion anywhere - but the firemen appeared to be massed on the north side of the street. However - when I took a left, and walked down not Lafayette - but the next street to the west - I glanced across the street and saw 3 firemen, in full firemen gear, walking into an upscale clothing boutique. ?? They were a bit outside of the fray half a block north ... so i wasn't sure if they were investigating an underground gas leak perhaps?
Oh - and there were a couple of people with press passes hanging around on the outskirts too - but I didn't see what organization any of them were from ... so I can't find any mention of this anywhere.
The explosion felt like the one that woke me up a couple years ago - when a car drove directly into a house a block away from me (the driver was in a fit of rage against one of the inhabitants in said house), - and either the car promptly exploded - or a propane tank exploded - no idea - but the house burned to the ground, and my entire town was pretty much traumatized and shut down for about a week. That happened at about 6 a.m. one morning, and I was fast asleep - but the explosion literally rocked my house - and it had that almost contracted feeling to it - as though the air cringed at the sound wave bursting through it, if that makes sense.
Does anyone in this area know what might have happened?
Strange. I posted something similiar on my blog. At the airport, I saw a United plane come in, land, and take off. I asked if anyone knew what that was about.
It seems a good time for confusing events.
Posted by: RTG at March 5, 2007 8:44 PMAt exactly 8:00 PM on Saturday night, I was standing on Cooper Square and E. 5th Street trying to hail a cab to go uptown. I know it was 8:00, because I was exactly 1/2 hour late to an engagement party. I saw what I thought was a bolt of lightning come from down near where you describe, but I didn't hear the thunder (or explosion). I just assumed a cold front was coming through, because it got real cold real fast after that (and meself only in a suit jacket!). This is pretty weird. And, as you say, nobody was talking about lightning, thunder or explosions when I got back. (Well, since it was 5:00 AM, nobody was talking at all really.). So, you hear/feel sound, but see no flash. I see flash, but hear no sound. Weird.
Posted by: Michael Doherty at March 5, 2007 9:55 PMMichael - wow!!! I still haven't been able to figure anything out - I figured if something actually exploded it would be on the front page of every newspaper.
Posted by: red at March 6, 2007 10:39 AMwow. red, have you called the police to ask what happened? i don't know if they would tell you, but it might be worth the phone call.
and i'm glad you weren't close enough to see the explosion. :) the farther the better.
Posted by: sarahk at March 6, 2007 11:52 AMRTG - yeah, I saw that post of yours. Creepy - no information at all on what that landing/takeoff was about?
Posted by: red at March 6, 2007 2:10 PM