An excess of the additive that gives natural gas its “rotten-egg” smell caused more than 300 calls to Westmoreland County 911 since Tuesday night, reporting an odor of natural gas, according to Peoples Natural Gas officials.
Calls began coming in to Westmoreland County 911 around 9 p.m., according to a supervisor. They continued into Wednesday morning.
A flurry of calls reporting an odor of natural gas came in from housing plans between Manor Road in Delmont and Murrysville’s White Valley neighborhood, along Old William Penn Highway and along Brick Hill Road and the Claridge neighborhood of Penn Township.
Firefighters and Peoples Natural Gas officials were continuing to check residents’ meters shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday night, to ensure the odor was not coming from an actual leak.
“Thus far, our investigators have determined the smell is not due to any leaks,” Peoples spokesman Nick Paradise said in an email to the Tribune-Review.
Murrysville police issued an alert shortly before 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night, to let residents know did not appear to be a gas leak.
“There is an issue with additive in the gas lines causing increased odor,” the alert reads. “Lines are being flushed.”
Natural gas is odorless and colorless so a chemical called mercaptan is added so people can detect its presence.
Sardis Volunteer Fire Company reported receiving 30 calls for service within two hours on Tuesday night.
