Mysterious gas odor in NYC and Jersey City

(New York-WABC, January 8, 2007) (WABC) -- The odor of natural gas was reported across Midtown Manhattan, prompting hundreds of calls to emergency workers.

Eyewitness News is told the smell was first reported in the vicinity of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street around 9:00 a.m.

Hundreds of calls poured into city emergency officials. Apparently the calls were coming from Chelsea, Battery Park west, Madison Square Park, and there are also reports of the gas smell outside of our studio on 66th Street and Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side. A very similar smell was also reported in Downtown Jersey City.

Con Edison officials said they are investigating the source of the leak. PSE&G and Con Edison says all systems are normal. The NYPD says there is no gas main break in the city. The NYPD has taken air quality tests and determined that the air is not hazardous. The NYPD says Con Ed has told them that there has been no drop in pressure in the city.

Mayor Bloomberg updated the city in a 10:30 a.m. news conference, saying as far as we know there was a small gas leak around Bleeker and 6th, but the those investigating believe smell is coming from something else. The mayor pointed out one cannot smell natural gas, it is an odoreless colorless gas. It is believed that an additive such as mercaptan has been added to the gas so that a leak can be detected. Bloomberg says they are investigating it and trying to pinpoint the source of the leak.

So far, the mayor says the city's air sensors do not report any elevated levels of natural gas. Bloomberg continued to say if it is natural gas the city will identify the source and shut it down.

Mercaptan has a very unpleasant smell and people in the city are advised to ventilate areas by opening windows and turning on fans.

Bloomberg says the one thing the city is very confident about is that the smell is not very dangerous. He did reiterate that the smell is in the city and Jersey City but the source is unknown.

A report from Jersey City's mayor says they pinpointed the smell to West 10th and Bleeker Street in Manhattan. Apparently, at the address of 191 West 10th Street at the corner of Bleeker, there is construction going on and firefighters have apparently been in that area at least twice today to check things out. They have not pinpointed any problem at that site, however.

"The smell was very strong. It was very scary," said Yolanda Van Gemd, an administrator at ASA, a business school near the Empire State Building that was evacuated as a precaution. In August, seven people were treated at hospitals after a gaseous smell in the boroughs of Queens and Staten Island.

No injuries were immediately reported as a result of the leak. The office of emergency management was investigating.

The Department of Homeland Security said there is no indication of terror. "There is no indication at this time of a terrorism connection. Nor is there any credible intelligence to suggest an imminent threat to the Homeland or to New York City at this time," said a Homeland Security spokesman.

This smell of gas seems to have permeated the city due to the winds. Bill Evans says there are two factors involved:

1. The Southwest Wind: The wind is light and out of the south but it is out of the southwest at about 6 to 10 mph. So you've got a wind pattern that is running from the southwest and across the northeast and the city. The wind pattern is running right up the west side and right across Central Park.
2. The Low Ceiling: The ceiling of the clouds is right at the top of the buildings and so that is capping that gas as it comes out of the ground and up. That's why the smell is permeating so widely across the area because the southwest wind is blowing it into the cloud cover and is really catching the particles of gas and holding it. As the ceiling continues to let up the gas smell will continue to dissipate.

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