Arlington firefighters walk into the University Center on Aug. 11. Arlington firefighters handle fire inspections, gas wells and medical emergencies.
The Arlington Fire Department received multiple calls from residents Tuesday reporting the smell of natural gas. The department reported there was no leak.
As early as 8:30 a.m., the department received more than 30 calls within approximately 15 minutes, said Juan Mata, public information officer for the Arlington Fire Department. Residents raised concerns about what they thought was a gas leak, but the smell turned out to be from a controlled release of a chemical compound called mercaptan.
Mercaptan is a sulfur compound with a strong scent that is added to natural gas to help detect leaks.
Over-pressurization at an Arlington compression station containing the chemical led to the controlled release, which lasted about five minutes. Winds spread the odor to Harris Road, Cooper Street and as far north as Lamar Boulevard, Mata said.
If individuals detect a gas leak, Atmos Energy recommends leaving the premises immediately, according to its website. Common signs of a leak are an odor like rotten eggs or a burnt match, a blowing or hissing sound, debris blowing from a hole in the ground, or a flame, according to DTE Energy.
“If it’s inside of a residence, that’s a big hazard for us,” Mata said. “If it’s outside the residence and you smell it, it’s usually not as big as an emergency.”
The Arlington Fire Department works with Atmos Energy when odor complaints are reported to determine whether it is a gas leak or a controlled release.
“We call Atmos and make sure that, A, there wasn’t a real emergency, or, B, just to figure out what’s going on,” Mata said.
According to Mata, this procedure can happen periodically.
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