Veolia: 90 Percent Of Eutaw St Cleaned After Steam Pipe Explosion
BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP) — Veolia North America says 90 percent of the impacted site in downtown Baltimore following a steam pipe explosion Tuesday has been cleaned.
Veolia says the transition from cleanup to construction will begin by Friday.
Baltimore police say officers who responded to the explosion of the underground steam pipe may have been exposed to asbestos.
Detective Jeremy Silbert said in an email that Veolia, which operates Baltimore's steam pipe network, notified police about the possibility of asbestos exposure.
Silbert said a number of Baltimore officers were among the first responders. He says they've been informed of "necessary safety precautions."
The explosion punched a huge hole in the street, damaged two nearby hotels and covered parked cars in dust, asphalt and other debris. Five people were injured.
News media outlets report that tests found low levels of asbestos at the site.
The Baltimore Sun reports that two Maryland Department of the Environment certified-asbestos contractors were at the scene of the explosion Thursday.
The age of the pipes is still unconfirmed.
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