Authorities are urging residents to take safety precautions against home invasion scams after three men dressed as utility workers forced their way into a North Hills home on Monday.
The masquerading invaders unwittingly raised important questions about what homeowners should do in the event of an actual gas leak.
First and foremost, when a resident smells gas, the first call should be to 911, authorities said.
Nassau Assistant Chief Fire Marshal James Hickman said natural gas is purposefully odorized, so that when there is a leak, residents will know about it, he said.
Natural gas and propane have the potential to become flammable and explosive; staying in your home during a gas leak could cost you your life, Hickman said.
“If you use the telephone or turn lights on or off, that could cause a spark that could cause an explosion,” he said. “Err on the side of safety. Natural gas has great potential to harm people, whether its through asphyxiation or explosion.”
If you smell gas, immediately leave your home, he said. Go as far as at least the sidewalk or where the odor is not detected, and call 911, he said.
In case of gas leak emergencies, the fire or police departments are always first to respond to the scene — followed by a gas company, and virtually never the other way.
In Monday’s incident, three men rang the doorbell of a Folie Court home before noon while dressed in reflective jackets and pants and wearing hard hats, gloves and face masks. They said they were checking on a gas leak, police said.
When the home’s caregiver answered the door, the men forced their way into the home, brandishing a small black handgun, and threw the 69-year-old woman homeowner to the floor, police said. The trio escaped with an undetermined amount of property and remain at large.
Their unannounced appearance at the front door should have raised numerous red flags.
Wendy Frigeria, a spokeswoman for National Grid Long Island, said that its workers will respond if there is a gas…
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