Responding to reports from residents mystified by a lingering bad smell on the streets and in homes around the Five Corners-City Hall area Tuesday afternoon, the City of White Rock says it also extends to various areas of South Surrey and 91原创.
A PSA on the city鈥檚 says 鈥渨e are aware of a smell that some describe as natural gas, manure or rotten eggs,鈥� adds that, while Fortis BC is investigating, it can be confirmed that the odour is not coming from either a city or Metro Vancouver facility, or the Cherry Point Refinery in the U.S.
Fortis officials said Wednesday they fielded 鈥渁round 80鈥� calls regarding an odour. Those complaints started to come in around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and continued until about 6 p.m., Grace Pickell, Fortis鈥檚 manager of communications for major projects, told Peace Arch News.
Pickell said crews investigated, however, 鈥渨e did not find any indication that natural gas was the cause.鈥�
Resident Marilynn McGlenen posts on the page that there is a 鈥渧ery strong sulphur/gas smell on Best between Russell and Roper, especially around the area of the Salvation Army church.鈥�
Resident Melissa A. Smith posted that the smell is also present at 8 Avenue and Lee Street too. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really nauseating actually and has a faint rotten egg smell almost like gas鈥︹��
The city PSA says that information received indicates that a facility around 172 Street and 8 Avenue in South Surrey may be the source of the odour, but that investigation continues.
Commenting on Facebook, resident and community activist Pattie Petrala passed on a statement from White Rock Fire and Rescue Chief Phil Lemire in which he says 鈥渨e are quite confident that the odour is coming from a composting facility located by 172 Street and 8 Avenue in South Surrey.
鈥淭his is similar to a situation a couple of weeks ago and the odour seems to occur in pockets across parts of White Rock and South Surrey.鈥�
Pickell said Fortis takes all such reports seriously, and said it is a good reminder of what residents should do if they suspect a natural gas leak: stop what you鈥檙e doing, do not use any source of ignition (including cellphones), go outside and call the 24-hour emergency line, at 1-800-663-9911, or 911.
More to come鈥�
