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Yesterday, as I was folding my laundry, the laundromat was filled with gasoline fumes. I asked the maintenance man who was going in and out of the laundromat if he smelled it. He replied that he was cleaning the gasoline tank outside. I asked him to open the back door of the laundromat, which was closest to the source of the fumes and which has a large sign, stating that the door is to remain locked, but he replied that he wasn't allowed to open the door, though he did have a key.
As the fumes started to cause me to feel unwell, I went to the attached convenience store to report the issue. The cashier told the woman in the back room, and she approached the counter. As I continued to state the problem, explaining that it was a serious health and safety hazard (especially with all of the electrical appliances in the laundromat) and that the maintenance man refused to open the door, the woman became belligerent, stating that I shouldn't be talking to the cashier, who was standing beside her, because he wasn't a manager and she was - when nobody previously mentioned their respective positions or duties. She said that she would talk to the maintenance man -instead of solving the problem by opening the back door.
I returned to finish folding my laundry. The manager came into the laundromat and explained to me that the maintenance man was cleaning the overfill at the gasoline tank and that he was cleaning the mop in the maintenance closet inside the laundromat, which explained the gasoline fumes. She stated that it was a gas station and that occasionally there would be the smell of gasoline - No! It's a laundromat, and the enclosed building should not be filled with gasoline fumes, because an employee is bringing gasoline-soaked cleaning equipment into the building and because the rear door is locked (another safety hazard). She further explained that the maintenance man could get fired for opening the door.
It was obvious that the manager was not a reasonable person, so instead of confronting her I politely thanked her, gathered my belongings and left. This morning, I spoke with someone at Timber Mesa Fire Department, who agreed that the locked back door was probably another safety hazard and said that she would forward the report to the Fire Marshal.
I'll be doing my laundry elsewhere.