Area Residents Reporting Strange Odor: Here's What's Causing It

MARCUS HOOK, PA — Philadelphia-are residents may be detecting a malodorous scent in the air Thursday.

That stench is due to equipment at a Delaware County refinery failing, according to officials.

The Wilmington Fire Department in Delaware said area residents are smelling a sulfur odor in the air.

Officials went on to say the olfactory-offending miasma is due to an equipment failure at a refinery in Marcus Hook.

The Marcus Hook Trainer Fire Department, the issue stemmed from a 6:15 a.m. power outage at Monroe Energy due to an off-site PECO issue.

The refinery started a controlled flare off at about 6:30 a.m. and continued the flare off untli about 8:30 a.m.

Monroe Energy deployed an air monitoring team into the immediate area and then into New Castle County, including the City of Wilmington.

Forty air samples were collected, and all had negative results.

While the pungent odor may be making the air less than breathable for some, officials said there is no hazard related to this odor.

The refinery has resumed normal operations.