What is the mysterious odor that’s lingering at L train stations and where is it coming from?
That’s what MTA officials, transit workers and riders want to know.
While the investigation continues, state and city agencies stress the air is safe.
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 that 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.
On Wednesday, station agents could be seen wearing masks, 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 MTA put heavy-duty fans in place to help circulate air away from the stations.
The agency encourages anyone with health concerns to see their doctor.
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