Whatcom County Fire District 1 (WCFD1) and Bellingham Fire Department officials responded to multiple reports of gas leaks between 1pm and 3:15pm.
The source was ultimately determined to be from a natural gas facility north of the US-Canada border.
Officials with the Bellingham Fire Department reported an accidental release of odorant at a facility north of the US-Canada border was determined the source of the odor.
Today in Canada, there was an accidental release of Mercaptan, which is an additive used as an odorant in Natural Gas. This chemical has a sulfur-like smell to make natural gas easier to detect. The smell has drifted into parts of Whatcom County, including Bellingham and parts of north and east county. If you are smelling a sulfur-like smell and you live in these areas, it is likely that this is the culprit. As always, if you smell a strong odor inside of your home or have a known leak of natural gas, call 911.
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Click for more information– Bellingham Fire Department (October 3, 2024)
The odorant, Mercaptan, is added to natural gas to make it more easily detectable in the event of a leak. It is the reason natural gas has a sulfur-like smell.
Mercaptan is a colorless, flammable gas with an extremely strong and repulsive smell.
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