Some Penfield residents may notice the smell of natural gas lingering in a neighborhood just north of Route 441 following a drilling mishap.
On Sept. 16, Penfield Supervisor Jeff Leenhouts said a contractor working on Pine Brook Circle struck a naturally occurring pocket of methane while drilling for a geothermal well the previous day. The incident led to the release of a strong gas odor in the area.
Fire department, RG&E respond to reports
Starting the afternoon of Sept. 15, the Penfield Fire Department and Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. (RG&E) received multiple calls from concerned residents about the smell. Both agencies responded and investigated the situation.
“It has been determined that there is no risk to the public,” Leenhouts said in a news release.
Odor may linger for several days
According to Leenhouts, the drilling crew is actively working to mitigate the odor, which may continue to be noticeable in the area for up to three days after the Sept. 15 incident.
Town officials are monitoring the site closely and are in communication with the contractor as they address the issue.
Where is Pine Brook Circle?
Pine Brook Circle is a residential street located in the southeastern part of Penfield, just north of Route 441 and Watson Road.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: What’s causing the gas smell in Penfield? Here’s what we know now
Reporting by Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
