Gas Alarm Averts Potential Disaster in NYC

This week a natural gas alarm activated in the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, alerting residents and utility crews to a potentially dangerous leak. The source appears to have been a gas line struck during nearby construction. Thanks to the alarm’s early warning, approximately 70 people were evacuated from three neighboring buildings before the situation could escalate. No injuries were reported.

This is exactly why gas alarms matter. Natural gas leaks are often silent, odorless, and easily overlooked. In this case, a single alarm set off a chain of protective actions, giving residents the time they needed to get out safely and allowing utility crews to respond quickly. The threat was real, but tragedy was avoided because a detector was in place.

New York City’s Local Law 157 was designed for moments like this. The Washington Heights evacuation proves that the policy is working, but also raises a larger question: Why aren’t more cities following New York’s lead?

Read full article here: https://abc7ny.com/post/manhattan-gas-leak-approximately-70-people-evacuated-con-ed-investigates-washington-heights/17430640/