Smell Gas at Home? Leave First, Then Call
If you smell or hear a possible gas leak, leave immediately without switching lights or using a phone inside, then call emergency services or the gas utility from well away from the building.
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Once the household is well away from the building, tell responders the location and what was noticed: odor, sound, or a possible leak. Do not return inside to check an appliance or collect a phone. CPSC’s current household guidance says to contact local gas authorities from outside and not to operate electronics such as lights or phones before leaving. PHMSA’s leak guidance specifies making the call from well away from the leak.
Leave and call from a safe place
Take people with you as you leave. Avoid ignition sources and do not use a phone or other electrical switch inside the affected area. Once well away from the building, call 911 or the gas utility that serves the address. Tell them where you are, what you noticed, and whether anyone may still be inside. Do what the dispatcher or utility asks next.
| If you notice | Do this first |
|---|---|
| Gas odor or a hissing sound indoors | Leave immediately; do not look for the source. |
| A detector or person alerts you to a possible leak | Leave even if you are unsure what caused the alert; call from safety. |
| A person is still inside or cannot leave without help | Tell 911 from a safe place and follow their directions; do not re-enter to search. |
| The odor is outside or near a meter/pipeline | Move away from the area and call 911 or the utility from safety. Do not approach or touch equipment. |
Con Edison’s utility page says to call 911 or its service number once safe; that number is only for its service territory. Use your own gas provider’s emergency number when you are outside its territory. PHMSA’s pipeline advice also stresses leaving a suspected pipeline-leak area and calling from a safe location, but a pipeline notice is not a substitute for your local utility’s indoor service procedure.
Do not investigate or re-enter
Do not try to locate a leak by moving an appliance, checking a connector, lighting a flame, unplugging equipment, or opening an electrical garage door. Do not operate the gas shutoff yourself as part of this checklist. Those actions can create additional danger or interfere with a trained response. Tell the utility or responders what you heard or smelled and leave diagnosis to them.
Do not go back inside to retrieve a phone, paperwork, or a pet carrier. Call from a neighbor’s home, the street at a safe distance, or another location responders identify. Warn others to stay away only if doing so does not take you back toward the suspected leak.
Wait for the utility or emergency responders to say when the area is safe. A fading odor, a quiet appliance, or a phone app status is not clearance to re-enter. If a gas appliance or piping was affected, use only the inspection and restart instructions from the utility and the qualified service professional.
For ordinary household planning, practice the exit routes in the home fire escape plan; during a suspected gas leak, leave first and do not stop to consult a plan or collect anything.
Offline gas-response card
Prepare this information before an emergency, and keep it near an exit or with the household emergency contacts:
| Card item | Write down |
|---|---|
| Home location | Full street address, unit number, nearest cross street, and a clear description for responders |
| Gas provider | Name of the utility or propane supplier and its emergency number for this address |
| Household help | Who may need extra time or assistance to leave; share this with responders once safely outside |
| Meeting point | A location away from the building where household members can regroup without blocking responders |
| Instructions | The date you checked the provider number and the utility or fire department’s local direction |
Keep the card where it is useful
Do not delay leaving to find this card. It is for planning and for the person who can retrieve it without re-entering or passing the suspected leak. Call emergency services first from a safe location when anyone is at immediate risk.
