A powerful steam blast from a nearby power plant shook residents in Long Island City on Monday morning.
Fire officials said a faulty valve popped on a generator at the Ravenswood Power Plant at 40th Avenue and Vernon Boulevard, shooting off a strong burst of steam at about 8:50 a.m., on December 5.
Residents in the Dutch Kills neighborhood said they were unsure of the source when they were awakened by the blast.
“It sounded like something exploded,” resident Sam Nadal said. We thought something fell down, collapsed.”
Nadal said he learned of the steam blast when he dialed 911 to report the noise.
Fire officials said workers at the plant, operated by Trans Canada, had things under control when the first fire units arrived at the scene.
Residents on Steinway Street and as far away as Roosevelt Island said they were shaken by the blast.
The non-hazardous steam continued to pour from the power plant for about one hour, fire officials said. No one was injured in the incident.
“The steam built up and it was released,” a fire spokesperson said. “This was not a hazardous condition.”
 —Liz Goff