Natural Gas Smell Is Likely From Pipeline Work

A number of people in Meriden and Wallingford have been reporting the smell of natural gas to local police and fire departments Wednesday afternoon – and Yankee Gas is saying the smell is likely from work done on a pipeline during the day. 

According to Yankee Gas spokesperson Karen Samide, customers in the area of Research Parkway on the Wallingford-Meriden line south to Parker Farms Road at the intersection of Rte. 150 have been reporting a gas odor.

The utility company is investigating each report, Samide said, but has so far found no gas leaks. It is attributing the scent to work done Wednesday on a new Waterbury-to-Wallingford pipeline project.

"To track the gas flowing through the new pipeline, the gas was more heavily odorized than usual," Samide said in a statement. "This is standard industry practice for safety – all natural gas has an odorant added to it so that any leaks can be detected."

The company urges customers who smell the odor of natural gas to contact Yankee Gas or 9-1-1 immediately.  The company's emergency gas leak telephone number is 877-YG4-LEAK (944-5325).