VIDEO SHOWS: MOBILE PHONE FOOTAGE OF SMOKE RISING OVER NEW YORK STREET AFTER STEAM PIPE EXPLOSION EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: RESENDING COMPLETE SCRIPT WITH EXTRA VIDEO (SHOT 4) SHOWS: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 19, 2018) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (APRIL SERODA - MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY APRIL SERODA) 1.

LARGE PLUME OF WHITE STEAM RISING OVER STREET IN MANHATTAN'S FLATIRON DISTRICT AFTER STEAM PIPE EXPLOSION / LIGHTS FLASHING ON POLICE CAR IN FOREGROUND NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 19, 2018) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (JOHN MOERSDORF - NO RESALE / MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY JOHN MOERSDORF) 2.

LARGE PLUME OF STEAM RISING NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 19, 2018) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (JESSICA ZAMBELLI - NO RESALE / MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY JESSICA ZAMBELLI) 3.

LARGE PLUME OF STEAM RISING BETWEEN TWO BUILDINGS NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 19, 2018) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (JOHN MOERSDORF - NO RESALE / MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY JOHN MOERSDORF) 4.

LARGE PLUME OF STEAM RISING STORY: A subterranean steam pipe explosion on Thursday (July 19) in New York City created an urban geyser that snarled traffic during city's morning rush hour but caused no injuries, authorities said.

A thick plume of white steam shot up through a crater that opened up around 6:40 a.m.

EDT (1040 GMT) at the corner of Fifth Avenue and West 21st Street in the Flatiron District of Manhattan, prompting police to shut down traffic for an eight-block radius.

Officials reported no injuries or evacuations but said they were carefully monitoring the situation. "Right now we are telling people to shelter in place," said New York Fire Department spokeswoman Clare Bourke.

The cause of the explosion was under investigation, she added.