Residents north of Lexington were hit with an
unwelcome smell Thursday morning, the smell of an odorant, Mercaptan, that’s
added to natural gas for safety reasons.
Columbia Gas officials said the odorant was spilled
by crews while they were performing maintenance work at the company’s substation
on Valley Pike.
Due the smell, there were emergency calls from
residents and businesses and Wal-Mart and the Rockbridge Area Health Center were
temporarily evacuated. Columbia Gas officials quickly informed Central Dispatch
there was no natural gas leak. Mercaptan is a nontoxic substance.
Columbia Gas officials said while crews finish
cleaning up the spill, it’s possible residents may notice the smell off and on
for a short period.
