Editorial Bear

NY gas smell sends 7 to hospital
Mon Jan 8, 2007 8:20 PM GMT

By Daniel Trotta

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A powerful, mysterious smell of natural gas wafted over much of Manhattan and parts of New Jersey on Monday, forcing building evacuations and a temporary suspension of commuter train service before dissipating.

Seven people were hospitalized in New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from New York, even though Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the odour was not dangerous and no unusual gas leaks had been found. Full story here.

So why were they hospitalised, then?

Part of me believes that this is nothing to worry about and the NJ residents being admitted to hospital suffered nothing worse than good old fashioned American hypochondria...

But with seven people in hospital, it doesn't exactly fill me with confidence when Bloomberg promises "there's nothing to worry about."