Sacré bleurrgh! French leak causes stench in Sussex

9:04am Tuesday 22nd January 2013 in News By Anna Roberts, Crime reporter

A gas leak at a factory in France has caused a massive stink in Sussex.

Already Sussex Police have received 20 calls about the smell which is unpleasant and present in Sussex – particularly East Sussex – and Kent.

We were alerted to the stench by comments on Twitter.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Shortly after 7.30am on Tuesday we began to receive calls from members of the public along the East Sussex coast reporting a smell of gas. Kent Police have also received a larger number of calls.

“We understand that this smell emanates from an accidental factory discharge in Rouen, more than 60 miles west of Paris. East Sussex Fire and Rescue have confirmed that the smell is from an additive to the gas. It has an unpleasant smell but is not toxic and there is no danger to the public.”

A French newspaper said the leak at the Lubrizol company was caused by a chemical substance becoming unstable, causing gas odors that are similar to those of coal gas.

A statement issued by the Seine-Maritime prefecture said: "The gas has an unpleasant smell but is not toxic".

The concentration of the gas was also "very low" but the prefecture admitted that "a large number of people have been inconvenienced".

The gas reached the Paris region in the early hours of Tuesday.

In the Seine-Maritime region around Rouen emergency services were bombarded with calls from alarmed citizens.

Seine-Maritime security official Laurent Mabire told a French news service that the the emergency services had been bombarded with calls.

The Health Protection Agency said: "The smell drifting over Southern England today poses no risk to public health. The odour, which is similar to rotten eggs, has been noticed by people mainly in Kent, East and West Sussex and some parts of Surrey.

"It is caused by a particularly smelly chemical that is added to odourless natural gas to give that its characteristic smell.

"The chemical leaked from a factory in Rouen, France, yesterday and has blown across the Channel overnight. It is not toxic and has also been diluted before entering the air over England, so people should be reassured it will cause no harm.

"It is an unpleasant odour which may cause some people to feel slightly nauseous but it will dispel naturally."

Can you smell it? Email anna.roberts@theargus.co.uk or leave a comment below.

Comments(56)

Shannonripsitup says...
9:53am Tue 22 Jan 13

Walking the children to school this morning with a strong smell of gas is slightly disturbing. Polegate seems to have a nice healthy supply of this leaked gas...............

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Crystal Ball says...
10:01am Tue 22 Jan 13

In general terms, you smell.

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Tailgaters Anonymous says...
10:04am Tue 22 Jan 13

French are always trying to rain on our parade!

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still waiting says...
10:07am Tue 22 Jan 13

At least that's the answer. Up here in Heathfield we did wonder if aircraft circling for Gatwick had been dumping fuel again. The most interesting bit, however is that I've spent many pointless minutes trying to get through to the national Gas Emergency number, half the time it told me the number wasn't recognised, the other half it told me the number was engaged and the one time it did start ringing it rang for 5 minutes before I gave up. Just as well the leak isn't a real one locally...

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Telscombe Cliffy says...
10:14am Tue 22 Jan 13

Your banner above should be Breaking wind, not breaking news. Plus should this gas not smell of garlic?

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Cabin fever says...
10:45am Tue 22 Jan 13

The smell has reached Shoreham-by-Sea. The West Sussex border has been breached!

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pperrin says...
10:47am Tue 22 Jan 13

Very strong in Ovingdean right now...

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LB says...
11:00am Tue 22 Jan 13

Poo La La!

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cashdown says...
11:01am Tue 22 Jan 13

really strong smell in Newhaven on coast near fort. I thought I was going to have to evacuate 160 homes on mobile home site!!

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mustaphaLeeko says...
11:12am Tue 22 Jan 13

Strong smell of gas in my garden nr 7 dials, don't think it was the beans I ate yesterday either! lol

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Kidsnan says...
11:20am Tue 22 Jan 13

Stench has reached Goring now. It's positively horrid.

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Andy R says...
11:26am Tue 22 Jan 13

Defense de fumer!

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lochness says...
11:26am Tue 22 Jan 13

yes, it stinks in Haywards Heath......

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Phani Tikkala says...
11:29am Tue 22 Jan 13

Smells like petrol to me

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SGK2000 says...
11:44am Tue 22 Jan 13

Nice to know the Argus were alerted by Twitter. If they were still local then they would have smelled it.

The French know how to carry a grudge. they've never forgiven us for Agincourt & Waterloo. We're doomed!

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Gardenboy says...
11:47am Tue 22 Jan 13

I think that the correct headline should have been "sacré bleu"!

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Anna Roberts says...
11:49am Tue 22 Jan 13

We are local. Office in Brighton - I learnt about it at about 8am and the smell had not reached an office in the city be then. Anna

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maison123 says...
11:49am Tue 22 Jan 13

hi I have the smell in hove now

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Ouseler says...
12:02pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Never mind it could have been a leak from one of their Nuclear power stations and we'd all be glowing green here in Sussex..

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GRUMPAH says...
12:06pm Tue 22 Jan 13

still waiting wrote:
At least that's the answer. Up here in Heathfield we did wonder if aircraft circling for Gatwick had been dumping fuel again. The most interesting bit, however is that I've spent many pointless minutes trying to get through to the national Gas Emergency number, half the time it told me the number wasn't recognised, the other half it told me the number was engaged and the one time it did start ringing it rang for 5 minutes before I gave up. Just as well the leak isn't a real one locally...
I concur. At least Sussex Police put an answering message on 101. Why can't British Gas?

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risingphoenix says...
12:15pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Still not as bad as the stench from our Town Hall...

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Ballroom Blitz says...
12:16pm Tue 22 Jan 13

The smell is dreadful. I spent the morning driving around thinking my car had a petrol leak. It was only when I got out I realised the smell was everywhere.
It must have been a sizeable 'spill' to create such a pong. Rouen is almost 100 miles away.

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LB says...
12:18pm Tue 22 Jan 13

West Sussex Council telling schools to keep children indoors where possible, apparently.

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Notters_Seagull says...
12:18pm Tue 22 Jan 13

still waiting wrote:
At least that's the answer. Up here in Heathfield we did wonder if aircraft circling for Gatwick had been dumping fuel again. The most interesting bit, however is that I've spent many pointless minutes trying to get through to the national Gas Emergency number, half the time it told me the number wasn't recognised, the other half it told me the number was engaged and the one time it did start ringing it rang for 5 minutes before I gave up. Just as well the leak isn't a real one locally...
Yes, and I'm sure it has nothing to do with thousands of people ringing them up because of this French stink when they usually only have to deal with half a dozen calls per day.

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GRUMPAH says...
12:19pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Seems to be easing now in Ringmer, I hope the wind doesn't change and blow it back again. Scented candles are de riguer in this house at the moment!

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escarr15 says...
12:35pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Cardinal Newman has just closed, due to the supposed 'gas leak'. Why was this story not flagged up as very important instead of the snow pictures?

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SGK2000 says...
12:37pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Don't light that candle.....too late!

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risingphoenix says...
12:43pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Given how quickly this gaseous smell has been spread, has anyone given a thought to the real danger posed to us were the 'accident' to have happened at any one of the Nuclear plants dotted along the Northern French coast?

We'd all be poisoned by now!

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Hove Ex-Pat says...
12:58pm Tue 22 Jan 13

The Metropolitan Police twitter feed is now reporting that this "smell" has now reached south east London boroughs.

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A.Wiseman says...
1:08pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Not re-assured by the 'no risk to health line'. Medical staff at the County Hospital working in windowless offices are reporting it coming through the air con and causing headaches.

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Poccypoc says...
1:17pm Tue 22 Jan 13

I don't understand why people called the police when smelling the gas.

Had I smelled it, I'd have called the gas co., then the fire brigade, NOT the police nor the **** Argus!

No wonder our 999 service gets so many odd calls. Think about the issue before making a phone call.

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lillylou says...
1:17pm Tue 22 Jan 13

i smelt it in btn this morning and we got headaches if thyeres no risk to health how come its causing headaches typical thick english leave it till its to late

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robsep2b says...
1:18pm Tue 22 Jan 13

... and I thought it was last night's curry...

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Poccypoc says...
1:19pm Tue 22 Jan 13

I feel sorry for people in Portslade and Coldean as bad smells are commonplace in these two areas.

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robsep2b says...
1:20pm Tue 22 Jan 13

lillylou wrote:
i smelt it in btn this morning and we got headaches if thyeres no risk to health how come its causing headaches typical thick english leave it till its to late
... typical thick english ... "leave it till its to late" ... "leave it 'till it's too late" ...

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minijaja says...
1:21pm Tue 22 Jan 13

the smell was terrible in Hailsham I had to spray all rooms and shut windows. The smell of gas is terrible.

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tinker111 says...
1:25pm Tue 22 Jan 13

About all the french are good at AND WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN ONE OF THERE NUC POWER STATION'S ??????

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cityzen says...
1:25pm Tue 22 Jan 13

strong smell of gas in bognor regis.

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Poccypoc says...
1:25pm Tue 22 Jan 13

I lost my sense of smell in Goldstone Villas, Hove, in November 1990 when a guy called Stephen Watts hit me over the head with a whisky bottle in an unprovoked attack. He got two years, but broke my cheekbone in three places, a badly-cut eye and damaged sinuses.

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LB says...
1:28pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Poccypoc wrote:
I lost my sense of smell in Goldstone Villas, Hove, in November 1990 when a guy called Stephen Watts hit me over the head with a whisky bottle in an unprovoked attack. He got two years, but broke my cheekbone in three places, a badly-cut eye and damaged sinuses.
Well, you're getting the benefit now.

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Andre Spooner says...
2:07pm Tue 22 Jan 13

It is all well and good to complain about the smell on the comments section of your local newspaper website, but I urge people to join me and my Mighty Horse in attempting to deal with the issue in a practical manner. Whilst you are typing away, our air is being infiltrated by this gallic aroma!

My Mighty Horse and I believe that action is the best remedy, and have been spending a productive morning combatting the scent with smells of our own. Since dawn broke, I have baked nearly 45 loaves of fresh bread, which my Mighty Horse has been towing around the streets on his elegant wagon, spreading the reassuring scent of the freshly baked bread into the noses of our neighbours. I have also been into the attic and removed the Powerful Lavender Cannon, last used during the Hay Fever Wars of 1989, and have been firing compressed "cannonballs" of lavendar in all directions. Upon impact, these floral bombardments burst open, causing the dispersal of scent for up to 100 feet radius.

As soon as night falls, I will go over to visit a friend of mine, a Peregrine Falcon who owns a crop spraying plane. We will then take to the skies and liberally mist the city of Brighton and Hove with cold coffee, the earthy scent of which should counter the last of this rogue French smell that wafts over the channel.

The time has come! People of Brighton and Hove! Let us reclaim the air! Those with freshly cut grass - let them distribute it across the region! The time for action is now! Prepare for the descent of the scent! Bravo! Bravo!

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tooned_in says...
2:22pm Tue 22 Jan 13

can smell it up in london!!!

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Euly says...
2:31pm Tue 22 Jan 13

escarr15 wrote:
Cardinal Newman has just closed, due to the supposed 'gas leak'. Why was this story not flagged up as very important instead of the snow pictures?
Any excuse, snow and now smells !

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runnergirl says...
2:46pm Tue 22 Jan 13

That's funny ... I could have sworn I could smell gas - at lunchtime today, north of Worthing and heading out to Durrington. Was wondering if there was local gas leak, then thought I must be imagining it as it couldn't possibly have been covering such a wide area. Now all is explained. Seems the smell is everywhere!

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qm says...
3:07pm Tue 22 Jan 13

LB wrote:
Poccypoc wrote:
I lost my sense of smell in Goldstone Villas, Hove, in November 1990 when a guy called Stephen Watts hit me over the head with a whisky bottle in an unprovoked attack. He got two years, but broke my cheekbone in three places, a badly-cut eye and damaged sinuses.
Well, you're getting the benefit now.
Not funny . . . not smart . . . .

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darkasnight1 says...
3:10pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Yes it was here in Mile oak/Portslade this morning,smells quite diesel like,YUK, Glad its nothing serious though :)

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SGK2000 says...
3:22pm Tue 22 Jan 13

So they tell us it harmless? Well who has killed all the snowmen then?

They've never forgiven us for Dunkirk.

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nocando says...
3:27pm Tue 22 Jan 13

I think andre spooner's been at the left handed cigarettes.

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Mariaklu says...
4:17pm Tue 22 Jan 13

at school today could smell a gas smell it was spreading through the school, i thought it was petrol, no one knew what it was. guess it must have been this.

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dawind says...
4:27pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Poccypoc wrote:
I lost my sense of smell in Goldstone Villas, Hove, in November 1990 when a guy called Stephen Watts hit me over the head with a whisky bottle in an unprovoked attack. He got two years, but broke my cheekbone in three places, a badly-cut eye and damaged sinuses.
I would think Portslade and Coldean are no go areas for you as well!

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escarr15 says...
5:40pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Euly wrote:
escarr15 wrote:
Cardinal Newman has just closed, due to the supposed 'gas leak'. Why was this story not flagged up as very important instead of the snow pictures?
Any excuse, snow and now smells !
There was an actual gas leak at Newman though...

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Superkiwiness says...
5:46pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Been worried about this all day! Could smell it at work in Worthing!

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All 9 of me says...
6:32pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Poccypoc wrote:
I lost my sense of smell in Goldstone Villas, Hove, in November 1990 when a guy called Stephen Watts hit me over the head with a whisky bottle in an unprovoked attack. He got two years, but broke my cheekbone in three places, a badly-cut eye and damaged sinuses.
shouldn't you be telling your counsellor this, and not the comments section of some website ?

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kazza1964 says...
10:39pm Tue 22 Jan 13

when i was in worthing hosp today my mate was on about the gas and i didnt realise wat she was talking about till now so my nose must be tht bad

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Max_Normal says...
1:27am Wed 23 Jan 13

Remember: He who smelled it dealt it. (I didn't smell a thing BTW)

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Fairfax Sakes says...
12:18pm Wed 23 Jan 13

Typical Argus, trying to tie everything into ecological problems...The Argus the puppet of the Green party

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