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Tow Truck Finally Pulled From Midtown Crater

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Jul 22, 2007 11:27 am US/Eastern

Tow Truck Finally Pulled From Midtown Crater

Explosion Icon Encased To Keep Dangerous Dust From Contaminating Air

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NEW YORK (CBS) ― For three days, it's been the symbol of the devastation of Midtown East Manhattan.

Finally, the red tow truck that sat inside the 25-foot crater in the middle of Lexington Avenue at 41st Street has been pulled from the wreckage caused by Wednesday's steam pipe explosion.

It was an unusual sight: a tow truck being lifted out from under the street.

The scene made for a spectacle that very few people were allowed to witness firsthand as bystanders were kept back while crews who were decked out from head to toe in protectice gear moved in to get the dusty, debris-covered vehicle out of the asbestos contaminated crater.

Before taking the truck anywhere else, crews spent hours to make sure it was encased and to keep dangerous dust from flying off in transit.

Residents are glad to know it is finally out of the crater.

"It shouldn't have taken so long -- it should have taken a day or two," said Midtown resident Omer Tasci.

The driver of the truck, Gregory McCullough, suffered burns on over 80 percent of his body and remains in a medically induced coma in critical condition.

The tow truck removal has been part of a slow cleanup process that Mayor Michael Bloomberg says could stretch into next week. While business owners, workers, and residents say they want it done right, they also want their neighborhood and their lives to get back to normal.

"I feel really bad for the stores and restaurants here. They must be losing a ton of money," said Steven Liang, whose apartment is on 39th Street and Lexington.

Liang admits since the explosion, he's been worried about the air quality after asbestos concerns were raised. Seeing officers wearing respiratory protection masks on his corner has made him nervous, despite the Office of Emergency Management saying the air has not been contaminated.

Lians has smaller concerns too, such as all the clothes he can't get from the dry cleaners nearby because the store has been closed since Wednesday.

A few places began opening back up on Saturday, including the Italian restaurant Fagiolini and Scotty's Diner.

Saturday night business was so slow that owners wondered if it was even worth re-opening. Still, they count their blessings that things will get back to normal, hopefully sooner than later.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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