Smell of Natural Gas Leads to Calls for Service

The smell of natural gas sent employees at Montgomery Community Media (MCM) out of their offices this afternoon.

Turns out it wasn’t a gas leak and they weren’t the only ones to experience the suspicious odor.

‎”A contractor working for Washington Gas struck a small odorant line at our Rockville Station,” said Ruben Rodriguez, director of corporate communications at Washington Gas. “The odorant line has been repaired and all facilities [are] back in service. There was no adverse impact to our system.”

Montgomery County Fire Rescue Captain Oscar Garcia said fire officials responded to several smell of gas calls in the area of 300 Gude Drive. He said there was no gas leak and no danger and explained the smell is actually a substance the gas company uses as an odorant because there is no smell to natural gas.

Still, he said, that a couple of people reported feeling sick and emergency crews were called on scene to evaluate their medical condition. He said no one was transported.

Rodriguez said it’s always important to notify the company or authorities if you believe there may be a natural gas leak.

“At Washington Gas, safety is our highest priority. We always encourage our customers and the general public to call us at 703-750-1400 or 911, when they suspect a natural gas problem or leak,” Rodriguez said. “Our operators are on call 24/7 and Washington Gas will respond quickly to any suspected natural gas leak.”

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