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Smell That Smell? “Stench of Death” Explained

THE GUARDIAN

Since early October, residents of Carson, California, have been sickened by a noxious smell coming from the Dominguez Channel that has been likened to “a rotten egg” or “the stench of death”. Now, officials have pinpointed a cause: a fire at a warehouse that stored beauty and wellness products.

South Coast Air Quality Management District, the agency tasked with investigating the foul stench, said on Friday that the large warehouse fire, which began on 30 September and took several days to extinguish, caused vast amounts of chemicals to flow into the 15-mile canal.

That spurred a die-off of plants living in the waterway, which in turn produced huge amounts of hydrogen sulfide, a flammable and colorless gas that can be harmful to human health.

The agency has issued notices of violation to four companies connected to the warehouse.

“Non-stop nosebleeds have forced her to visit the emergency room.”

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The rancid odor was first reported on 3 October, and by 6 October the air management agency was receiving more than 100 complaints per day.

Residents of Carson, a city in Los Angeles county that is home to predominantly people of color, were complaining of severe headaches, fatigue and respiratory issues as levels of the gas increased.

According to the air quality district, hydrogen sulfide levels at one point reached nearly 7,000 parts per billion, about 230 times higher than the state nuisance standard.

More than 3,000 people moved into hotels – paid for by the county – to escape their symptoms, and 27,000 air purifiers were delivered to homes to mitigate the scent.

Even now, residents say the smell is not gone. On a Facebook group set up by residents, people are still reporting issues.

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For Ana Meni, a resident who temporarily relocated to a hotel, the ordeal is not over … READ MORE. 

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