Cleanup is underway along Second Avenue in Manhattan after an early morning steam pipe burst on Wednesday.

City officials on Thursday said the work near Second Avenue, between East 51st and East 56th streets, could take several days. Building facades, streets and sidewalks need to be washed of any debris that may have erupted during the pipe burst.

“[The city is] trying to take every precaution possible to make sure that there's no asbestos on the ground,” Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said Thursday. “One of the things we're doing this morning is, as you know, in this area, we got some heavy rainfall last night. We're seeing how that rainfall might have helped us overnight."

"So, in a few moments, we're going to be going out, doing some additional assessments on the ground, looking at what still needs to be cleaned up, where we might actually have some more cleaning up to do because of the rainfall, where we might have to do less cleanup because of the rainfall,” he added.

The initial concern after the steam pipe burst was air quality. Many underground steam pipes across the city are centuries old, and are often wrapped in asbestos. Initial air quality tests did not show elevated levels of asbestos.

Still, area residents are urged to keep their windows closed and encouraged to wear masks while the cleaning is completed.

By Wednesday evening, after air quality tests were completed, residents living along Second Avenue between East 51st and East 55th streets were allowed back into their homes.

Many businesses along Second Avenue remained closed through the morning hours Thursday.

The city said it is continuing to monitor air quality levels. The cause of the steam pipe burst is still under investigation.