Posted on 10/20/2005 5:02:08 AM PDT by Rebelbase
GREENSBORO -- It's been a stinky week for some Greensboro residents.
First, Cone Mills was dredging sludge Monday from a wastewater pond at its White Oak plant on Summit Avenue, stirring up a foul odor. And as that smell drifted away Tuesday, another wafted up on the opposite side of town, near the tank farm along Interstate 40 close to the interchange with Wendover Avenue.
It's a stench that has emergency management officials puzzled. Beginning early Wednesday, residents began complaining of strong smells described as either chlorine, paint solvent or fuel.
The smell was strong enough to seep into buildings and emergency officials reported four calls about the odor, an unusually high number for a specific area.
At the Wal-Mart on Wendover Avenue, Barbara Sims said the odor was so strong that store employees called 911 at about 7 a.m. She thought a chemical plant might be burning.
"It gave you a headache," she said. By 11 a.m., she said, the smell had disappeared.
Marilyn Braun, the coordinator for Greensboro Emergency Management, said the smell may be a reoccurrence of a mystery odor that has surfaced over the past decade that sometimes is accompanied by a cloud or a vapor. It occasionally pops up in the fall and spring and hasn't happened in the past two to three years, Braun said.
"This time it was stronger than ever before," she said.
Firefighters and HAZMAT crews were sent to investigate and have determined the air does not contain dangerous levels of chemicals.
Weather may be the culprit, several officials said.
The temperature dropped and rose dramatically overnight and in the morning, they said. That causes the atmosphere to hold down any odors or emissions and prevent them from evaporating.
"If the atmosphere is just right, it can collect and take awhile for it to disperse," Battalion Chief Bill Lentz of the Greensboro Fire Department said.
So far, officials haven't been able to determine where the odor is coming from. But there was a good chance weather conditions would allow it to happen again Wednesday night and this morning, said Don Campbell, the assistant coordinator for the Guilford County Office for Emergency Management.
In the past, some have theorized that the mystery smell and cloud that sometimes accompanies it is being generated by the tank farm near I-40. But Braun said there's no indication that's where the odor is coming from. There's a large number of industrial buildings near the tank farms and the odor could be coming from anywhere.
Campbell said officials believe the most recent odor is strongest southwest of the tank farm.
On Summit Avenue, residents have also had to put up with odors for years, although the culprit is known. This week, Cone Mills was dredging a wastewater pond and residents said the smell was sickening. The work is part of a state-approved plan to rid the plant of the odors that seep into surrounding neighborhoods. Although the plan was officially approved Tuesday, Cone Mills has been working to begin implementing the plan over the past year.
"We are aware that there is some odor generated," said Delores Sides, a spokeswoman for the company.
She said the worst of the smell should have dissipated by Tuesday afternoon.
This is the third time dredging has occurred at the plant this year, Sides said.
She wasn't sure when or if it would occur again this year.
This could have been a headline about my dad's proud exploits when I was growing up...
Wow, a smell in the air was able to get into buildings. Whodda thunk!
HAs Peace Mother Sheehan (PMS) been thru the area?........
You'd think by now these industrial concerns would have perfected the "finger" valve, huh? Always worked for MY dad....
Hillary's favorite, black pants-suit is making it's nation-wide tour.
I'm sorry, but I really did LOL at your post. :)
Maybe they neglected to check on the large colony of hippies. Those drum circles can brew quite a funk.
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