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Company's liquid spill sends strong odor across area

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By Rick McCrabb, Staff Writer Updated 8:03 PM Wednesday, December 14, 2011

MIDDLETOWN — A leak of an odorous liquid from a propane terminal is being blamed for the “strong smell” that alarmed area residents Wednesday night, according to fire officials.

Middletown Deputy Fire Chief Brent Dominy said Enterprise Products, located near the intersection of Todhunter and Yankee roads, reported that while transferring ethyl mercaptan — a liquid that gives gas a detachable smell — from a decommissioned tanker, some of it leaked out.

Early in the evening, Dominy said “numerous” residents called the fire and police departments complaining of the strong smell. Monroe officials said they also heard complaints.

However, as the night progressed officials said the complaints subsided.

Rick Rainey, a spokesman for Enterprise Products, said the incident occurred when liquid was being transferred from one tanker to another. The truck, he said, wasn’t large enough to hold all the gas, and that’s when the gas leaked. He didn’t know the amount of liquid that leaked.

Rainey said there was no evacuation and no one was injured. He said the trucks have been removed from the property.

Rainey said the gas poses no health threat to residents and was expected to dissipate quickly. Dominy said residents should stay indoors until the smell dissipates or seek medical treatment if they feel ill.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2842 or rmccrabb@coxohio.com.

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