A group of mysterious explorers urban residents who have been seen clandestinely entering the New York sewers has raised concern among local authorities, who warned about the serious risks involved in entering the city’s extensive underground network.
According to municipal officials, at least three illegal incursions into the metropolis’ sewer system have been reported since May 5, although no injuries or damage to infrastructure have been reported so far.
«Entering the sewer system is illegal and extremely dangerous,» said a spokesperson for the New York Department of Environmental Protection, warning that the tunnels can contain potentially deadly toxic gases, flood zones, unstable surfaces and confined spaces that make any rescue operation difficult.
Concern increased after the release of security camera images captured in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, where several people equipped with flashlights and waterproof boots were recorded lifting a manhole cover and descending into the subway system during the early hours of the morning.
Aki Jakupovic, owner of a nearby mechanical workshop, claimed to have witnessed the scene.
«I knew they were up to something strange. I’ve seen a lot of strange things in New York, but this really surprised me,» he declared.
Jakupovic said that he and his employees alerted the police and removed vehicles parked in the area for fear of possible incidents.
According to him, the agents recommended that he avoid any confrontation with the intruders.
«The cop told me, ‘Don’t be Batman, just call the police,'» he recalled.
Subsequently, at least two other similar episodes in different sectors of Brooklyn, which led authorities to expand monitoring of access to the drainage system.
It is not known who they are
Although at the moment there have been no arrests nor are there indications of a threat to public health, the police are investigating the facts and remind that unauthorized entry into the sewage network can constitute a crime.
The researchers’ main hypothesis is that individuals are exploring the tunnels in search of valuables washed away by the drainage system, a practice occasionally associated with urban exploration groups.
«We need to know who they are and what they’re doing,» said John Monaghan, a former NYPD captain and security analyst.
Monaghan also warned about the multiple dangers faced by those who venture underground.
«They can be electrocuted, poisoned or trapped. There are power lines, gas conduits and numerous invisible risks down there,» he warned.
Authorities continue to investigate the incidents while trying to determine the identity of those responsible and the true objective of their incursions into one of the most extensive and complex subway systems in the United States.
ANSA Agency.
GML
