SMELLY fumes from a massive gas leak in France have reached Bromley.
The council’s switchboard has received several calls from people today (January 22) worried about an odour.
And Chelsfield and Pratts Bottom ward councillor Julian Grainger reported the smell being in the area while he was clearing snow and ice this morning.
The leak is believed to be mercaptan gas – a harmless additive to natural gas.
Met Police and the London Fire Brigade have taken to Twitter to reassure people there is no danger to the public, with the LFB using the hashtag #zutalors.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) says the chemical leaked from a factory in Rouen, France, yesterday and has blown across the Channel overnight.
A HPA spokesman 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.
“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.”
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