1997 Ford Escort Problem(s)

My mom has passed this car on to me and I've only had it for a few months. I just recently changed the brakes and that's when I found out the last time anything on the vehicle had been serviced was about 3 years ago. So I'm about to change the oil then go from there but as of now I also know the car has a hole in the gas tank and the guage for gas doesn't work. The service engine soon light is on and sometimes when I'm driving I will start to smell gas in the car. I'm thinking since the car hasn't been serviced in so long the light could mean a multiple of things but I don't know why I'm smelling gas.