NWCAA ends investigation into odor that led to school evacuations

By Whatcom News on May 22, 2018 12:53pm

fire and aid respond to Horizon Middle School

WCFD7 fire and aid crews respond to Horizon Middle School after reports were received of students becoming ill after a gaseous odor was detected (June 1, 2017). Photo: Discover Ferndale

The Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA) reported yesterday via a social media account that it had ended an investigation aimed at identifying the source of a strong odor that led to school evacuations in Ferndale in June 1, 2017.

Today, the following document was posted to the NWCAA website. It explains how, after reviewing internal information and external reports and checking out potential sources, they were unable to pinpoint a specific source of the odor.

Shortly after noon that day, an odor was detected that was followed by reports of burning eyes and/or coughing at Horizon Middle School. Whatcom County Fire District 7 was immediately dispatched. By the time students were released to their parents, between 12 and 20 students at Horizon, Eagleridge and Cascadia schools had complained of feeling ill according to a School District official.

Shortly after the incident on June 1, 2017, NWCAA had reported,

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The Northwest Clean Air Agency responded Thursday afternoon to reports of a strong odor in the Ferndale area that led to the evacuation of local schools.
NWCAA received a call from an area resident at 1:37 p.m. about a strong sulfur smell similar to the odor of natural gas. The caller said the source appeared to be the Phillips 66 refinery at 3901 Unick Road, Ferndale. Two other calls were received about a strong sulfur odor in the area.
A NWCAA inspector contacted a Phillips official and was told that an upset in the refining process caused a strong sulfur odor on site, which dissipated by mid-afternoon.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data show that following the upset at Phillips, winds were blowing toward the area where the callers live and the schools are located.
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A NWCAA inspector dispatched to the area could not locate and verify a source for the odor. Other responding agencies also were not able to verify a source.

Earlier in the day, WCFD7 personnel had been dispatched to the Pacific Heights neighborhood to investigate a report of a gas odor.

Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management (DEM) Deputy Director John Gargett said at the time none of the nearby industrial facilities reported any gas emissions.

District officials got an “all clear” from inspectors that no gas or other leaks had been found in any of the school buildings.