NY gas smell sends 19 to hospital NEW YORK (Reuters) - A powerful, mysterious smell of gas wafted through much of Manhattan and parts of New Jersey on Monday, forcing building evacuations and a temporary suspension of commuter train service before dissipating by mid-afternoon.

Here we are, more than 12 hours later, and there is still no clear answer as to what caused the smell of gas. When I got to work I had to wait two hours to get in, since my office building was evacuated. With such a strong smell of gas in Manhatten, the boroughs of New York, and even New Jersey, it is amazing to me that there is still no idea what caused this smell. I usually have a great deal of confidence in our Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, but his claim that the gas was not harmful and of unknown origin just does not sit well with me. Why can’t I help thinking there is some cover-up of something? Gas cannot just appear, be smelled by millions of people (literally), and be of unknown cause. Hmmm.