No risk to residents after ‘strong odour’ spread throughout Cochrane

A “strong odour” that spread throughout Cochrane seeped out of a local plant after a product added to natural gas was accidentally released on Sunday, town officials said.

Cochrane Fire Services received several reports about the odour, described as rotten eggs or cabbage, spreading throughout Cochrane and surrounding areas, according to a Facebook post from the Town of Cochrane.

The smell, officials say, was actually mercaptan, or methanethiol, which is added to natural gas to help people identify any leaks or issues.

As a result, the town says there is no active leak and no risk to the public, and relevant agencies are aware of and monitoring the situation

The foul smell, however, is reportedly lingering longer than usual due to changing weather conditions, such as the temperature and atmospheric conditions.

But it should dissipate as the weather stabilizes, town officials say.