Think you smell natural gas? Here’s what NOT to do if you want to avoid an explosion.

Dalia Faheid
·3 min read
2

A gas leak is believed to be the likely cause of the enormous explosion Monday at Sandman Signature Hotel in downtown Fort Worth, injuring 21 people.

Investigators on Tuesday were still trying to determine the exact cause, but there was a strong smell of natural gas in the area near the historic 104-year-old hotel. .

Do you know what to do if you smell gas in your house, neighborhood or outdoors? Equally critical, do you know what not to do to avoid a gas explosion? For example, experts say you should not open doors or windows to ventilate.

Here’s what else you should know.

Fort Worth firefighters respond to an explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel in downtown on Monday.
Fort Worth firefighters respond to an explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel in downtown on Monday.

What is a gas leak?

A gas leak is a leak of natural gas, either from a pipe or another contained area, into any area where gas should not be. Pipelines carry natural gas to more than 76 million homes and businesses in the U.S.

Natural gas is colorless and odorless, but odors in the form of sulfur-containing compounds called mercaptan are usually added to help identify leaks, according to Texas A&M University. Federal and state regulations require utilities to odorize natural gas, so that “the gas is readily detectable by a person with a normal sense of smell.”

Because natural gases can explode when exposed to a flame or spark, any suspected gas leak needs to be reported immediately.

Fort Worth police and firefighters respond to the explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel, where first-responders rescued multiple people Monday. Twenty-one were injured and fourteen were transported to hospitals, with one in critical condition.
Fort Worth police and firefighters respond to the explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel, where first-responders rescued multiple people Monday. Twenty-one were injured and fourteen were transported to hospitals, with one in critical condition.

How to prevent a natural gas leak

  • Regularly check and maintain your gas appliances and lines.

  • Consider installing a gas detector.

  • Annual inspections by professionals, especially in older homes, can catch issues before they become dangerous.

Typical causes of a natural gas leak

  • Poorly fitted appliances.

  • Badly maintained or faulty appliances.

  • Poor ventilation.

  • Corroded pipes.

  • Leaving gas knobs on.

Signs of a natural gas leak

According to Texas Gas Service, there are signs of a gas leak that you can see, smell and hear:

  • You smell a rotten egg or sulfur-like odor in or around your home, at work or in your neighborhood.

  • You see blowing dirt, persistent bubbling in puddles, or standing water or dead vegetation in an otherwise healthy area.

  • You see a yellow flame instead of a blue flame on your range, furnace or water heater.

  • You hear a hissing or roaring sound around your natural gas piping, meter or appliances, or your natural gas appliance fails to ignite.

If any of these warning signs appear, leave the area immediately. Don’t use electrical equipment, call 911 from a safe distance, then call your local gas distribution company:

  • Texas Gas Service at 800-959-5325

  • Atmos Energy at 866-322-8667

  • CenterPoint Energy at 713-659-2111 or 800-752-8036

  • UNIGAS at 800-925-0705

  • CPS Energy at 210-353-4357.

Texas residents can also report leaks to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

What to do if you suspect a gas leak?

If you smell a gas odor, or if a gas monitor alarm sounds:

  • Warn others in the immediate area.

  • Evacuate and secure the area.

If there’s a major leak, such as a pipeline break:

  • Call 911 and tell the dispatcher your name, phone number, location of the odor and description of the leak.

  • Begin evacuating the building.

  • If you are outside, isolate the area.

  • Warn others in the immediate area.

  • Prevent the leak from igniting (through cigarettes, electrical equipment, etc.)

  • Do not reenter the building or outside area until it has been cleared by authorities.

What NOT to do if you suspect a gas leak?

According to Atmos Energy, here’s what not to do if you suspect a gas leak:

  • Do not turn any electric switch on or off.

  • Do not use a cellphone, telephone, garage door opener, doorbell or flashlight.

  • Do not smoke, use a lighter, strike a match or do anything that may create a spark.

  • Do not start or stop a nearby vehicle or machine.

  • Do not open or close your windows or garage door.

  • Do not attempt to shut off a natural gas valve.

  • Do not assume someone else will report the leak.

Fort Worth firefighters respond to an explosion, believed to be caused by a gas leak, at the Sandman Signature Hotel downtown on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.
Fort Worth firefighters respond to an explosion, believed to be caused by a gas leak, at the Sandman Signature Hotel downtown on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.