Good thought. Maybe it IS the chemical used in explosives producing this odor.
Apparently the smell was very widespread in October and again now on 12/8. They even made a map which we should save here, just in case. Very widely investigated in October with no results which is even more puzzling. If it were from a factory one would think the PTB would be able to find it.
http://www.wayfaring.com/maps/show/1837