Mysterious gasoline-like smell sweeps South Brooklyn

Do you smell that? That's what residents have been asking each other in Brooklyn for weeks. Do you smell that? That's what residents have been asking each other in Brooklyn for weeks Usually it smells. Smells. And that smell? The odor of gas. Even users on social media writing, it just fills your nose and it's like getting a whiff of gasoline into your mouth. The FDNY says it received a report for a smell of gas at the intersection of Avenue Z and East 26th Street and notified National Grid. Workers were spotted drilling small holes into the ground to investigate the odor. And it's not just that intersection. Residents are reporting smelling gas here at Shore Parkway and Sheepshead Bay Road, which is nearly a mile away from there and across parts of South Brooklyn. Gasoline right there on that corner. A resident has even created a South Brooklyn gasoline odor tracker that has received more than 90 online reports in the past week. Meanwhile, Council Member Eva Vernikov says she has been receiving calls about the smell for more than a month. Immediately we contacted agencies. We've been in touch with FDNY, DEP. Vernikov says the FDNY inspected all gas stations in zip codes 1-1-2-2-9, 1-1-2-3-3, and 1-1-2-3-5. And the city's Department of Environmental Protection has been flushing sewer lines. In a statement, the state's Department of Environmental Conservation, which is also working on the investigation, said in part, there is no definitive evidence at this time of the source of the odors. It said it is working with the city's fire department, DEP, emergency management, and the state's Department of Health and Environmental Protection Agency. Councilwoman Vernikov says her office is pushing to meet with all the involved agencies next week to get answers. Is it dangerous? Is it toxic? This is a very, very serious issue, and we will keep advocating. News 12 will continue to share updates as it gets more information. In Sheepshead Bay, Alexa Special, News 12.