Crime & Safety
Silver Spring Residents Concerned About Odor Near Sligo Creek
Residents have called on Montgomery County Council and the county fire department to investigate the oil-like odor.
Over the past four days, Silver Spring residents have been barraged by a petroleum-based smell, mostly outdoors near Sligo Creek, but in some cases, permeating their homes.
Mary Reed, who lives near downtown Silver Spring close to the intersection of Ellsworth and Bennington drives, first noticed the smell upon waking up Friday morning.
“We had left one window open to let the cool air in, and I immediately smelled something like roof tar—not a burning wood or rotten egg natural gas smell,” she said.
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Reed mentioned that the smell returned Monday, but was much less pungent.
The oil-like smell, as far northeast as Ellsworth and Bennington drives and Geneva Avenue and Hilltop Road to the southwest—has started a conversation on The Seven Oaks/ Evanswood listserv, among others. Silver Spring residents are concerned that it may be harmful.
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Silver Spring resident George Neighbors, who thought that the odor was home-heating oil, e-mailed Montgomery County Councilman George Leventhal, (D-At large).
Leventhal has asked Montgomery County Fire Chief Richie Bowers and Bob Hoyt, director of the Department of Environmental Protection in Montgomery County, to investigate the matter.
Patch will continue to investigate this story and bring you the latest.
