An overwhelming odour of gasoline that comes and goes is annoying residents in Kentwood.
Keen Crescent resident Asya Stam said the smell hit her “like a wall of gasoline” earlier this week when she opened her back door.
“It was just thick. We almost went to a hotel, it was so bad, but my dog couldn’t go with us,” Stam said.
She called the city Tuesday and was told to dial 911. An emergency vehicle responded and drove around the area. ATCO came out as well.
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Stam took her son to the doctor because he was nauseous, lethargic and had headaches. The physician said to take him straight to the hospital’s emergency department if the symptons reoccur.
Stam said she also had to take her dog to the veterinarian because he couldn’t stand up.
Stam said the city was supposed to let her know what was going on, but no one called.
“They said ‘don’t worry.’ Are you kidding me? My house reeks of gasoline and you’re telling me not to be concerned. My son’s ill, my dog is at the vet, and there’s no answer whatsoever. They’re not letting anyone know anything.”
She said the smell returned early Wednesday morning and was terrible later in the afternoon, between about 4 and 6 p.m. She noticed the stink again at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday.
About two weeks ago, Red Deer Emergency Services reported that a gas-like odour in the Edgar Industrial Park area was believed to have been caused by equipment delivered to the park and that the company was working to mitigate the smell.
Fire marshal Wes Van Bavel said emergency services have since responded to the area seven times, and ATCO has been there multiple times, because of odours from the same company.
“On May 30, we zeroed in on this location, and on Tuesday of this week, we zeroed in a little quicker, because we had a good idea it was a similar event.”
He said there are no serious safety concerns and the city’s inspections and licensing department has been in contact with the company because there are compliance requirements for nuisances such as noise and odour.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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