Rash of gas odor reports across Bellingham raises concern

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham Fire Department reported about 6:30pm on Tuesday, August 27th, they had responded to numerous reports of gas odors.

Our crews are responding to reports of a sulfur-like smell through the Southside of Bellingham up through downtown. We’ve done a thorough investigation and have not found a source or any readings on our devices. We and Cascade Natural Gas are in the area and are still investigating. If you are currently smelling a general odor in this area, please know we already have crews investigating and do not need additional 911 calls. As always, if you smell natural gas inside of your home and/or hit a gas line in your yard, call 911 and Cascade Natural Gas.
– Bellingham Fire Department (August 27, 2024)

About 9am on Wednesday, August 28th, an update was issued.

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The sulfur-like odor that was smelled by many Bellingham residents has dissipated from the area. We’ve been in contact with multiple agencies, including the Whatcom County Specialized Emergency Response Team (SERP), BNSF Railway, Cascade Natural Gas, and the Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA). The NWCAA is actively investigating the cause. If there are any updates, we will follow up with a notification.
– Bellingham Fire Department (August 28, 2024)

Causes of past widespread reports of gas odors have been varied. The worst instance being when fuel had leaked into Whatcom Creek in 1999 and, after being accidentally ignited, resulted in a disastrous fire with fatalities. Other less concerning causes include a spill of Mercaptan odorant at a facility just north of the US-Canada border in 2016 and a crude oil tanker anchored nearby that had vented its storage tanks in 2017. Mercaptan is a colorless, flammable gas with an extremely strong and repulsive smell that is added to natural gas to make it more easily detectable in the event of a leak.