as i left work yesterday and walked about a block away from chanin building i heard a big explosion. when i turned around i saw huge dust cloud being blown about 200 feet into the air. you could also hear this deep, scary hiss. most shocking was the force with which the dust was being pushed into the air.
it seemed like 9/11 all over again, i've seen 100s of people running for their lifes away from 42nd street. some woman was hysterically screaming while her mother was trying to pull her away. i saw an older white women fall on top of a heavier black woman as they were running away.
my first though was "it's nothing", "it can't be a bomb", but seeing everyone running with such fear in their eyes made me immediately fear "maybe a subway train has been blown up ... maybe there's another explosion on the way". then it hit me - i needed to get away.
memories of 9/11 came back again, seeing abandoned shoes on the street by people fleeing the scene. then seeing 100s of people walking in the middle of streets along with cars ... away from 42nd street.

it wasn't 'till an hour later when TV announced that is was NOT a terrorist attack, but a "simple" manhole explosion ... wow - N.Y.f**ing C ....

found 2 videos that show: deep scary hiss of the pipe explosion in ny (up close) and another hiss sound of the pipe for a block away
panic and people running away from manhole explosion in ny (cursing / explicit)