in
New York, United States
Category:
Attraction
0 views 
0 shares 
0 comments
set bookmark!
Created/changed by:
System
Address details
308 E 13th St, New York, NY 10003, USA
Print route »
Phone & WWW
Business hours
Info
The New York Telephone exchange fire occurred on February 27, 1975 at the New York Telephone Company switching center at 204 Second Avenue and Thirteenth Street in lower Manhattan. At this time, the building contained central offices for connecting local customer telephone lines, as well as toll switching systems. The fire disrupted service for 175,000 customers, connected within the building through 105,000 service loops. It was the worst single service disaster suffered by any single Bell operating company in the 20th century. The events relating to the fire make it notable for several reasons, including the extent of the disruption, the large scale and speed of the recovery efforts, which were completed in 23 days, and the succeeding influence on adoption of fire safety rules for installation of low-voltage wiring inside buildings, especially in areas that can spread fire or toxic fumes. Decades later the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) combustion products produced by the fire were identified as a reason for elevated rates of cancer in the firefighters at the scene.
