Arlington Heights police and firefighters responded about 7:15 PM Saturday to a report of a gas odor in the area of Mariono’s and Kensington and Dryden. Although people were reporting the smell as a natural gas odor, firefighters reported the odor as gas odor coming from dry conditions in deep tunnels that are used for storm rainwater drainage, flood control and pollution.
Yesterday public works employees were flushing the deep tunnels to wet down the tunnels, where hydrogen sulfide gas was emanating (See Flushing with Fire Hydrant Water: Natural Gas Smell Reported Is Likely Hydrogen Sulfide Odor from Dry Deep Tunnel).
No hazardous levels of gas were reported. Hydrogen sulfide levels at high levels is poisonous and explosive. The gas is also one of the gases present in flatulence and sewer gas.
Wind at the time was from the east-northeast at about 10 mph. The wind was likely carrying the source of the odor from about one block north of Mariano’s — from northeast to southwest. The source of the odor and most of the area of flushing on Friday was along Miner Street.
Friday’s winds were from the south and southwest and most of the complaints were north of Miner street in the 400 and 600 blocks, for example, of Pine Avenue and Dryden.
Public safety officials are continuing to monitor the situation.
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