Got called out on a "gas leak" call [neighboring house]. Arrive and check out the gas meter and surrounding area. No gas, but no one is home and the last tenents left cause the LLD would not fix anything. Walk around the house checking the windows and doors for gas and I see that the back door plexiglass has been punched and a lit candle is sitting on the range. Get gas reads at the broken window so call the PD. They show up, go inside and clear the house [empty] so I go in and put out the candle and shut off the 4 unlit burners that were on high. The pilots had been put out. Lots of gas inside but not at a LEL level yet, as natural gas rises so as to fill the upstairs first, then to the lower levels. Checked out the other appliances, wtr htr "OK" but furnace was a POS that was probably dead as someone had tried to light it with wads of paper. [NOT a good thing to do] Killed the power and gas and locked off both so it can't be tried again.
Guess the LLD must have watched an action movie and had no idea of how natural gas works. I'll bet he'll be surprised when he is contacted by the PD/ FD and questioned. Remember kiddos, real life ain't the movies and if the house blew, the arson inspectors would easily see 4 burners left on and candle remains. [PS, I hope every pipe in the house bursts cause he'll be outta luck getting a payoff on that as I documented the inop/defective furnace.]