Yisroel R.

A mysterious gasoline smell coming from sewers in Monsey continues to raise concerns among residents, as state officials work to determine the source of the smell, which some neighbors say has been troubling the area for years.

The odor has been reported near Roberts Road and Suffern Place, where residents complained of a particularly strong gasoline smell last week. On Monday morning, a contractor working for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) came to the area to clean a drain near the intersection as part of the ongoing investigation.

According to the DEC, crews investigated the situation Thursday night, placing absorbent materials inside manholes before vacuuming them on Friday to address the immediate problem. Officials also inspected a nearby gas station but found no obvious issues that could explain the bad scent.

A local resident said that the cleaning work has made some improvements but still is not completely resolved. The resident says he has been raising concerns with the Town of Ramapo about unpleasant odors that have come and gone since 2024. He described the smell as resembling freshly poured asphalt and said it sometimes spread throughout the neighborhood, raising concerns about children playing outdoors.

Despite the cleanup efforts, the source of the gasoline odor remains unknown. The DEC says it will continue investigating the situation as residents await answers about what has been causing the gas smell.