“We don’t really totally know what it is…. [but] it is absolutely safe” says official on those mysterious L Train odors
credit: Jennifer Hsu / Gothamist
Meanwhile, at least four workers have been hospitalized since the odd smells were reported this week between the Lorimer and Graham Avenue stations. Commuters have reported feeling ill too on Twitter and elsewhere. If you haven’t heard, riders began reporting noxious oil fumes on Monday.
Clearly riders are getting pretty frustrated and want answers. Many have resorted to wearing masks on their commute.
The MTA says the smell is coming from non-flammable heating oil, found near the Graham Avenue station in Williamsburg.
“We don’t really totally know what it is, but it appears to be some kind of oil that seeped up through the ground. It’s not clear exactly where it came from,” MTA Chief Safety Officer Patrick Warren said Wednesday. “It is absolutely safe for passengers and our workers to be down there.”
State and city agencies, including the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and FDNY, have echoed the air is safe.
“I want to reassure all New Yorkers that the air on the L train and in the stations is 100 percent safe. The DEC and FDNY, globally recognized experts in this work, have made it very clear that there is absolutely no risk to the public and we are continuously monitoring the air quality for even small variations,” Warren said in a statement. “We have removed almost all of the non-flammable heating oil near the Graham station and continue to vent the nearby stations as aggressively as possible.”
L train service was temporarily suspended Tuesday after commuters started complaining about a smell like oil or gas. The Graham Ave. stop had to be evacuated because of the unsettling smell.
Trains are back up and running, but the complaints are still rolling in.
Station agents could be seen wearing masks Wednesday, and riders posted about sore throats and headaches on Twitter. The transportation workers union, Local 100, says at least four workers have been hospitalized this week due to the fumes.
The post “We don’t really totally know what it is…. [but] it is absolutely safe” says official on those mysterious L Train odors appeared first on Free Williamsburg.
