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.
At 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.
Michael – 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.
wow. 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.
RTG – yeah, I saw that post of yours. Creepy – no information at all on what that landing/takeoff was about?