COPPELL, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Dozens of Atmos Power prospects throughout North Texas reported smelling pure gasoline, however the firm mentioned there’s nothing to fret about.
On April 14, 2022, dozens of Atmos prospects from a number of totally different cities smelled pure gasoline of their properties and companies, leading to a flood of 911 calls.
The cities the place the calls have are available from embody: Argyle, Coppell, Flower Mound, Southlake, Keller, Richardson, McKinney, Frisco, Irving, and Dallas.
Dallas Fireplace-Rescue officers confirmed that 233 gasoline leak calls got here in between Thursday at 7:00 p.m. and Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Metropolis and emergency officers mentioned the problem was a mistake by Atmos, who put an excessive amount of mercaptan within the traces. Mercaptan is added to pure gasoline, which is by itself odorless, to offer it that particular scent.
In very excessive concentrations mercaptan will be poisonous, however it’s so smelly than the human nostril is ready to detect even very miniscule quantities of it within the air. In accordance with the CDC, folks can scent mercaptan at ranges as little as two parts-per-billion. For comparability, the CDC recommends avoiding publicity to mercaptan at or above 500 parts-per-billion and OSHA’s authorized publicity restrict is ready at 10,000 parts-per-billion.
There have been no reviews of anybody harm, and officers mentioned there was no hazard to the general public.
An Atmos spokesperson advised CBS 11 that there have been no lively evacuations and thanked prospects for being vigilantly reporting the odors.
“The protection of the general public, our workers and our system is our highest precedence, and we wish to thank native Fireplace Departments and Denton County Emergency Providers for his or her help and the residents who did the suitable factor by calling our emergency quantity. We’re responding to each odor name and can proceed to take action as a part of our imaginative and prescient to be the most secure supplier of pure gasoline providers.”
On Friday afternoon, Atmos introduced it will burn off pure gasoline in Coppell and Frisco at about 5 p.m. in an effort to safely take away the odor.
In case you suspect a pure gasoline leak inside or exterior your house or enterprise, go away the world instantly and name 911. Atmos Power’s emergency line can also be accessible 24 hours a day at 866-322-8667.
