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Initial Findings Released in 2nd Ave Subway Explosion Investigation


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"Holes drilled at this shaft for the loading of explosives have normally been done vertically, allowing the blast pressure to dissipate horizontally. However on Tuesday, rock outcrops, which were being blasted at the top of a future escalator, needed to be drilled diagonally. When the blast occurred, debris hit the underside of the decking concentrated at the southeast corner of the site. The decking lifted and allowed rock to be propelled into the air and onto the street. In reviewing yesterday's incident, we determined that the method used to keep the decking in place above the blast area was inadequate for this type of blast."

 

 

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source of Metropolitan Transportation Authority

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The contractors are saying that they had to blast in shafts drilled diagonally instead of vertically. I'm not a civil engineer but that's understood. They did that for a reason. But regardless they should have known to take more precautions then the usual (securing all plates in place etc.) to begin with in order to contain the blast. Nethertheless this construction project is'nt a easy one to say the least so it's not suprising to hear this. Accidents will happen unfortunately.

 

I think even with the construction of the 63rd street line several decades ago a mishap took place and some sandhogs lost their lives as a result. Read this somewhere....

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They should have known that if a blast is made at an angle going upwards, the pressure and force will not telegraph in a straight horizontal path but instead the force of the blast will go upwards sky high. They probably did, but decided to take the risk anyway. I even think there's some finger-pointing here and shift blaming with this, blaming insecure installation of plates to absorb the debris from the blast when it was actually a screw up due to other reasons. But that is just an educated guess.

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