Image of Range Road 212

By Connor Gunn

Mystery gas smell resolved in east Lethbridge

Jul 5, 2021 | 3:22 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – City officials received multiple calls on the weekend with concerns over a gas smell on one side of Lethbridge.

Concerns grew as it wasn’t only one call, many people smelled the odour.

The city says the source and location of the smell was from a pipeline valve that had been dropped off for recycling, east of the city along Range Road 212.

Mercaptan, a chemical, was found to be the smell.

Mercaptan or methanethiol is a foul-smelling gas that is added to natural gas due to natural gas being colourless and odourless and acts as an odorant to make it easier to detect.

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Crews were able to neutralize the chemical and valve component and residents are advised that the smell should subside over time.

The city also instructed ATCO to inspect all sites surrounding the city and had no further issues to report.

They also advise that “if residents are experiencing difficulty breathing and/or eye or skin irritation as a result of the smell, they are advised to seek medical attention as required.”

Fire and Emergency Crews will continue to monitor sites and will notify if there are any changes.