Tara Jean Stevens said the 害羞草研究所渁pocalyptic害羞草研究所� stench that blanketed the Metro Vancouver community of Delta on Tuesday night was so heavy her car and garage still smelled of rotten eggs Wednesday morning.

害羞草研究所淚 had a headache all night,害羞草研究所� said Stevens, a radio host on Wave 98.3. 害羞草研究所淚 never get headaches 害羞草研究所� it felt thick in the air, even though you couldn害羞草研究所檛 see it.害羞草研究所�

The source was a FortisBC station near Ladner Trunk Road.

The explanation about the cause has shifted, with FortisBC attributing it to an 害羞草研究所渆quipment leak害羞草研究所� in a social media post on Tuesday afternoon, adding later that the leaked gas had high levels of a harmless odour additive.

It said Wednesday in another social media post the smell was 害羞草研究所渄ue to a controlled release害羞草研究所� of gas, while a statement on the FortisBC website described the source of the smell as a 害羞草研究所渕inor leak害羞草研究所� that was detected during the controlled release.

Regardless of the source, the chemical that caused the smell was mercaptan, which is typically added to odourless gas supplies so leaks are easier to detect.

The gas provider is being criticized for a lack of transparency and timely explanation about the stench Delta Mayor George Harvie said led to emergency services being flooded with calls.

Stevens said she first noticed the smell around 3 p.m. Tuesday when her son walked in the front door of their Delta home, and the smell was so strong she started to panic about what to do with her family.

害羞草研究所淚 was sitting here wondering, should I be getting in the car and getting out of here? Should I be driving until I don害羞草研究所檛 smell it anymore? Is something about to explode? It was stressful.害羞草研究所�

In a written statement, Harvie said FortisBC didn害羞草研究所檛 make a public statement on the gas release for more than four hours after initial reports about the smell were received by municipal officials.

Harvie said there was a lack of communication from FortisBC, calling it 害羞草研究所渁n egregious oversight.害羞草研究所�

The heavy odour resulted in a flood of calls to police and firefighters that seriously hampered Delta害羞草研究所檚 emergency response resources, he said.

害羞草研究所淭he stress and panic that this incident caused to both the public and our first responders was completely unnecessary,害羞草研究所� Harvie said.

He said he had asked Delta害羞草研究所檚 city manager to conduct a full review into why residents and businesses were 害羞草研究所渓eft in the dark害羞草研究所� about the release.

害羞草研究所淔ortisBC must be accountable for their delay in response causing confusion and alarm in our community.害羞草研究所�

In another written response, the City of Delta said its fire department received 19 calls transferred from 911 about the smell, and firehalls received about 100 inquiries. That doubled call volumes compared to the daily average.

In many cases, fire crews had to physically attend to make sure there were no on-site gas leaks, it said.

The City also said Delta Police received several 911 calls about the smell and about 50 non-emergency calls on Tuesday, delaying their ability to take other calls.

害羞草研究所淭he failure of FortisBC to communicate this gas odour leak had a serious impact on our emergency services whose resources should be dedicated to real emergencies,害羞草研究所� Harvie said.

At 4:56 p.m. on Tuesday, FortisBC had said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that it had responded to reports about the smell and 害羞草研究所渁n equipment leak causing the odour is under control.害羞草研究所�

Around 9 p.m. another social media post flagged a service alert about the smell, saying 害羞草研究所済as is under control.害羞草研究所�

In its website statement issued Wednesday, FortisBC said the odour was the result of work on new equipment at a Ladner facility, where 害羞草研究所渁 controlled release of gas害羞草研究所� was conducted Tuesday.

It said a minor leak was detected and brought under control by 2 p.m. 害羞草研究所渁nd repairs are underway.害羞草研究所� But the leak contained a large amount of mercaptan.

害羞草研究所淭he release of gas with a high concentration of mercaptan was not anticipated and, due to the strong smell, it has been detected by residents in several communities, including Ladner, Delta, Richmond and Vancouver,害羞草研究所� the statement said.

It said that despite the strong smell, mercaptan was not hazardous to inhale 害羞草研究所渨ith the quantity released in the atmosphere.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e apologize for the inconvenience this may cause residents and commuters in the area. We realize the odour is very strong but it is expected to dissipate.害羞草研究所�

The odour was so heavy on Tuesday that BC Ferries told foot passengers at its nearby terminal to stay inside during their commute, while vehicle passengers were asked to roll up their windows.

Stevens said it was crucial to find out what went wrong.

害羞草研究所淓ven if FortisBC had properly warned our community that something was happening, I still think that it was a completely inappropriate level of something in our air,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 mean, it felt apocalyptic. It was very off-putting.害羞草研究所�

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