Manhattan may have its mysterious maple syrup smell, but Boerum Hill has a mysterious nighttime diesel fume smell in the area around Pacific Street and Fourth Avenue. This comes from an email from the Boerum Hill Group:
Anyone know what that diesel smell is? I live on Pacific b/t 3rd and 4th, and the past few nights there has been a cloud of diesel or other fumes filling all the back yards in the block bordered by 3rd, 4th, Pacific and Dean. I have actually woken up at night b/c it has been so thick – but in the morning – it is gone. Anyone have any idea what this is? It is a fairly recent development. I thought it might be a generator or something – but have not seen anything running out there.
Another person writes:
Hmm… well at least i’m not alone in being disturbed by it. Anyone have any ideas what to do about it? I’m thinking of calling 311 and seeing if there is any recourse, but I have a feeling that 311 will probably get me nowhere without knowing what is causing it…
And, finally, someone else wrote: “I smell it too! I smelt is last week in the early morning.” The Great Boerum Hill Diesel Stench Mystery of 2009!!!
6 responses so far ↓
1 Will // Jan 27, 2009 at 10:02 am
Yep, noticed this smell on Bergen near 4th. It seems strongest near a small, ramshackle industrial building and an empty lot close to 4th…
2 Cobble Hill Blog » Diesel Stench in Boerum Hill // Jan 27, 2009 at 10:47 am
[…] Gowanus Lounge reports that a mysterious diesel fuel smell in the area around Pacific Street and Fourth Avenue has been bothering Boerum Hill residents late at night. Has anyone noticed the stench? I noticed it a few times late last December during the day, and it certainly was pervasive. […]
3 cmm // Jan 27, 2009 at 11:24 am
I smelled it on Dean btwn 4 & 5 last night and just assumed it was from the B65.
4 Justin // Jan 27, 2009 at 4:31 pm
I think the smell comes from the MASSIVE school on Pacific St between 3rd and 4th ave. I think it comes from the heating system.
5 Survivor // Jan 27, 2009 at 8:58 pm
There have been fuel vapors/odors/fumes in the general area for at least 30 years. There are oil storage facilities all along the Gowanus Canal. Call DEPA.
6 Jack // Jan 28, 2009 at 2:35 am
I noticed this from my vantage point a block away. But I don’t smell it as often. Just sometimes I’ll come home and it smells almost like a gas leak… But then, nothing.
There’s also some construction happening on or near the school on that block. So that could be part of it.