West Chester reports gas odor

The Wellman Volunteer Fire Department responded to a call in West Chester Friday night reporting a gas smell in a residence.

Assistant Fire Chief Jim Seward said technicians from Alliant Energy were already on the scene when they arrived.

“They were already in the area responding to three other gas smells that they had received,” Seward said. “They were going to check to see if he had a leak, but said they had put too much odorant in the gas, and that was what was causing the smell.”

While the smell was caused by the harmless odorant, Seward said the call led to the discovery of an unrelated small gas leak nearby.

“I talked to the Alliant guy, and he said that he had been to another house and they did find a small leak there that wasn’t detectable until the odor brought them out there,” he said. “It’s just one of those things that happens to be a good thing.”

A media representative from Alliant declined to comment on the incident, citing company policy against disclosing the details of private residential operations.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com