Seminole County officials are working to figure out just what's causing a foul odor that some residents reported has been lingering around the area for several days.
- Smell reported in Sanford, Longwood vicinity
- Some residents called 911, fearing a gas leak
- Air quality tests have come back negative
Matthew Burman lives in Sanford and noticed the odor Wednesday morning.
“About seven-thirty, eight o’clock this morning I noticed it pretty heavy in the air,” said Burman. “I even mentioned to my mom, who’s with me from Georgia, 'you know, it smells like a paper mill out in Georgia today,' and I even made fun of her for bringing it down with her - that type of thing."
In fact, people from across Seminole County reported smelling something foul. Several of them commented regarding the problem on the county’s Facebook page.
Some said they’ve been smelling whatever it is for several days.
“Goes along the lines of rotten eggs," said Seminole resident Joshua DeMarco. "Just real putrid, not pleasing.”
Seminole County officials say they even got about a dozen 911 calls from people worried there was a gas leak. In response to those calls, the county conducted air tests on Wednesday.
Those tests reportedly came back negative, meaning they found nothing hazardous in the air. But county officials said they’re still trying to find the source of the smelly air.
Many of the people who smelled something bad say the smell was gone soon after the sun came up.
“By about eight I couldn’t noticed it in the air any longer after that,” said Burman. He added that while he would like to know where the smell is coming from, he mainly just doesn’t want it to come back.
“Definitely smelled like an organic smell, and I wasn’t too worried about it,” said Burman.