A steam pipe explosion during Midtown Manhattan's rush hour Wednesday shattered New Yorkers' nerves. Moments after the blast, I-Reporters sent photos and video showing a huge steam plume rising into the air. The explosion scattered debris and fogged the city's storied skyline, causing many to fear they might be in danger. "It was like a volcano," said New Yorker Jonathan Thompson, whose video captured the loud rumbling of the steam as it shot into the sky.Ben Alden, 23, used his iPhone to send some of the first images captured from the scene. From the 18th floor of his office building, blocks from Grand Central Station, he heard a "deep rumbling sound" and saw steam rising up past buildings.
He said he tried to rally his co-workers to get out, and they got away on foot. Outside, he saw a massive exodus from nearby buildings.
"People were standing around, wondering what was going on," he said. "There seemed to be a general confusion over whether it was a terrorist attack or not."
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