Gas smell

For weeks we have a faint gas small on the sidewalk and parking lane next to our house already. When we phoned to report it, the gas company said "yes it is a known problem there, but we do not have the authorisation to start digging there from the city". Huh? What a shockker was that? How come they cannot dig to investigate if there could be a gas leak??????? Geeez

Anyway, today apparently they have received the authority (maybe some more neighbours phoned) and now they are happily digging in the parking lane a man deep hole to check it out.
So far so good, but one of the guys is smoking there! Is it just me who thinks that is worrying? I am not sure, but in my mind a gas smell and smoking are not 2 things that go together well! Seeing that gives me a very very creepy feeling!

On the other hand it's been there for a while now and I'm sure lots of pedestrians walked by with a sigaret in their mouth and there are all the time cars pulling up here at the traffic lights as well. but it does not really reassure me.