The Gowanus Canal overflowed its banks Monday, flooding the surrounding streets with polluted water. The Gowanus is a Superfund site described by the Environmental Protection Agency as “one of the nation’s most extensively contaminated water bodies.”
Gowanus underwater – Bond and 1st #sandy http://t.co/fYUu1JOY
— Mike Lavoie (@mikelavoie) October 30, 2012
Rotten egg sludge with a hint of poo RT @JeremyBusch How would you describe the smell to non Brooklynites? #Gowanus
— Bryan Bruchman (@subinev) October 29, 2012
New York City officials weren’t too concerned about toxic aftereffects.
https://twitter.com/hunterw/status/263039260733607936
But the Department of Environmental Protection urged people to wash up after coming in contact with the contaminated water.
https://twitter.com/SeanPCollins/status/263051292316934144
That wasn’t much comfort to area residents watching the canal water seeping toward their front doors.
liking that we havent lost power or internet yet. not liking that the toxic and flooded gowanus canal is so close by #sandy
— Samuel Purcell (@iamsampurcell) October 30, 2012
the gowanus is so fckn toxic. #bloomberg gonna do something about this?
— Edward Pietrowski (@EdPietrowski) October 30, 2012
https://twitter.com/RosieGray/status/263061537260982272
Gowanus madness #sandy http://t.co/dm0Shyls
— Mike Lavoie (@mikelavoie) October 30, 2012
A photo of the overflowing superfund site that is the Gowanus Canal. #Sandy is getting #gross pic.twitter.com/1jSPoDGu
— Melissa Mahony (@mahony128) October 30, 2012
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Not just floodwater–TOXIC floodwater. RT @mtcboom Gowanus Canal flooding on Nevins St btwn Degraw and Sackett. #Sandy pic.twitter.com/4s432whd
— Melanie Chandler (@StarbucklyEsq) October 30, 2012
Gowanus water has now almost reached 3rd ave at 9th st. Metal debris flying everywhere. pic.twitter.com/7zzSU8Fe
— Eddy Kim (@Eddy_Kim) October 30, 2012
https://twitter.com/stephenwitt/status/263084659007709184
Area residents also had to contend with a fire.
Well that explains the smell RT @taliator: Big fire in Gowanus near 2nd Ave & union, sounded like a building collapse pic.twitter.com/HbHMpeKP
— Nineties Misfit Benjamin Birdie (@BenjaminBirdie) October 30, 2012
Acrid smell: Fire. Electric. Gas. Gowanus funk. Horribly reminiscent.
— Rebecca Traister (@rtraister) October 30, 2012
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