Mayor angry with lack of info from FortisBC after leak spreads smell of rotten eggs across Delta

The mayor of Delta, B.C., says it's unacceptable that residents suffered headaches and nausea due to a natural gas leak that blanketed his city with the smell of rotten eggs Tuesday, and very little information was forthcoming from FortisBC, the company responsible.

George Harvie said on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that Delta residents and businesses were "left in the dark" after a leak at a plant in the community of Ladner spread strong gas smells across the city, which lies just south of Vancouver.

Residents first reported the smell early in the afternoon but it wasn't until nearly 5 p.m. that Fortis put out any public-facing information on the cause.

Harvie says he has asked the city manager to review the cause of the leak, as well as the reason it took FortisBC four hours to notify others.

"Delta police and Delta fire were bombarded with calls about the odour and fire crews attended to each of these calls to ensure there was no on-site gas leak," he said.

"The stress and panic that this incident caused to both the public and our first responders was completely unnecessary."

The mayor says the heavy odour led to stress and panic among the public, and the flood of calls received by local police and firefighters seriously hampered Delta's emergency response services.

The heavy odour at one point led to the B.C. Ferries terminal in Tsawwassen advising foot passengers to stay inside during their Tuesday commute, while vehicle passengers were asked to roll up their windows.

Melanie Lippelt, who lives in the community of Tsawwassen, says she first noticed the odour around 3 p.m.

"It was just overwhelming," she said. "It was like choking, it was so bad."

Other residents reported headaches and nausea, with questions about whether they were safe while waiting for information.

FortisBC responds

FortisBC told CBC News that crews were on site at the company's interconnect station in Ladner at about 12:30 p.m. after the smell was reported.

"We take all reports of gas odour very seriously. Public and employee safety is our top priority. Our first job is to make the situation safe and determine the best way to stop the leak. The next step is to stop the gas leak and start repairs," FortisBC spokesperson Gary Toft said in a written statement.

"FortisBC was conducting a controlled release of gas and identified a minor secondary leak, which is now under control and we will be starting necessary repairs. The leak contained a high concentration of odorant that we add to natural gas."

On X, the company posted a link to a page of instructions on what to do when residents smell a potential gas leak — including instructions to "go outside" for safety reasons — and how to report the leak.

"The smell is OUTSIDE. And how can we leave the area if the smell is everywhere outside?" one resident posted in response, adding, "Are Delta residents safe?"

Lippelt said when she suggested to FortisBC that they issue a notice so residents wouldn't be alarmed, Lippelt was told that wasn't possible, because the company could not predict which way the wind would blow the smell.

Lippelt said Fortis's slow response is disappointing and that the company needs to be "more on the ball" when it comes to communicating with people, given how widespread and long-lasting the smell is.

"It is really, really scary," she said. "It is shocking how bad the smell is."