Community Corner

Gas Smell Raises Alarm in Lorton

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue confirm no gas leak; smell came from natural gas additive.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue determined that there was no gas leak in the 10400 block of Furnace Road, as reported at 11:32 a.m. on Thursday. The smell came from residue from mercaptan, a natural gas additive, which was being pumped into a nearby natural gas compression station. 

Fire and rescue units from Fort Belvoir and Fairfax County were on the scene in minutes. 

"It has been confirmed that there is no gas leak," said Fairfax County Fire and Rescue spokesman Capt. William Moreland to Patch. He said he did not know the location of the compression station.

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Mercaptan is used for people to be able to detect a gas leak. "Natural gas itself has no odor, it was just the residue of the mercaptan coming out," said Moreland. "Sometimes a little gets in the air from a pumping station."

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