my radio news said it was a gas leak and someone saw gas leaking and ran out of the shop, which I don't how you see something you smell??
Cindy, I just saw this post.
You could see gas leaking if it were hissing out of a loose meter connection - you wouldn't really "see" it - you would hear it and smell it, but I could "see" somebody using this phrase . . .
If it was indeed natural gas, this all may make more sense. If the guy in the washroom lit a cigarette, and the leak was at the hot water heater, there's your flame source.