Crime & Safety

Update: Woman Found Dead, Con Ed Measures Normal Gas Levels

Citizens in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow were looking skyward around noon, wondering what several helicopters were doing hovering in fixed positions above.

Tarrytown police at first reported there had been a gas leak at 191 South Broadway at Church Street. Con Edison was at the scene this morning as were emergency responders and ambulance, though it wasn't initially clear if someone was found dead at the scene as some media outlets were reporting.

The building in question was actually 19 Church Street, a small building behind the mixed use building at 191 South Broadway that a neighbor told Patch was rented out to a woman in her 40s. 

"They only just took out the body about a half an hour ago," John Sampiano said at 2:30 p.m. "She was very friendly, we said 'Good morning.' I didn't even know her name was the sad part." 

The scene was only now clear of the fire department, police, medical examiner, ambulance, media, and Con Edison vehicles parked on Church Street throughout the day. 

Con Edison Spokesperson Alfonso Quiroz confirmed to Patch at 1:30 p.m. that a woman, around 40-years-old, was indeed found dead at her residence this morning.

Quiroz said Con Edison got a call from Tarrytown Police around 10 a.m. reporting a gas leak. His agency went and found a .3 level in the basement near the gas service, which "we consider extremely minor and very usual," Quiroz said.

Officials continued to test throughout the building including the area where the woman was found and "we did not find any gas leak," he said.

Neighbors returning to their building at 191 South Broadway were gathered on their front porch talking about the day's events and said they too were waiting to hear what had happened to the woman. They said Con Ed checked their building and gave them the clear for no elevated natural gas levels.

Sampiano said he was called home from the YMCA where he was working out to let officials check his residence "before they knocked the door down." His home tested out fine as well, he said. 

Tarrytown officers just before noon said there was "no explosions, no fire" as one initial emergency alert had reported.

The case is still under investigation at this time. 

The Journal News is reporting that officials are not considering this death suspicious.

Stay tuned with Patch as this breaking news develops.


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