Officials of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and the National Operations Centre conducted air quality tests in several parts of Central Trinidad last night, after dozens of residents reported nauseating gas fumes. Residents of California, Campden and Macaulay said the fumes got worse after 6 pm. Couva resident Elliot Thomas said the scent first started around 4 pm and continued into late evening. “Many residents, even those from Lower Campden, reported smelling the fumes,” Thomas said.
He explained that the area close to the Couva Healthy Centre was badly affected and some people were even scared to light their stoves for fear of possible fires. “Right now we do not know where the fumes are coming from, but there is an NGC booster station close by so people are speculating that there may be a gas leak,” he said. A report was made to NGC and a spokesperson said it was aware of the matter.
Contacted last night, Couva MP Rudranath Indarsingh said when his constituents contacted him he immediately alerted the NOC and ODPM director Dr Stephen Ramroop. “We had experts in the field doing field testing,” Indarsingh said, adding that speculation was rife that the fumes could have been caused by ongoing drag racing on the Campden strip. However, this has not been confirmed, he said. The NOC last night put the Savonetta fire station on alert during air testing.
A text message sent to Indarsingh from NOC director Garvin Heerah, read: “NOC alerted the Savonetta Fire Station and coordinated the response. A series of air quality tests were carried out in the vicinity of the emissions and the result is safe. Intensification is irregular.
The Fire Services is not satisfied that the emissions may be due to nitron or other fuels being used in drag racing in Campden. Further checks are being conducted by NGC and officers are on the field doing air quality tests. NOC is continuing to provide situational updates.” Last November, NGC reported a leak in its 56-inch cross country pipelines. The leak was subsequently repaired.