Report of natural gas smell investigated

An investigation by emergency responders on Sunday evening turned up no gas leak after a county resident reported smelling natural gas.

The Sidney Volunteer Fire Department responded to an area north of Sidney on County Road 111 shortly after 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Ron Leal, Region 21 Emergency Management coordinator, who was also on scene, said while the source of the smell was not identified, no gas leak was found.

As a precaution, representatives from Tallgrass Energy, which operates a natural gas storage facility north of Sidney, were contacted and asked to ensure there were no issues at the plant.

“But nothing was found,” Leal said.

Leal said emergency crews typically respond to a report of the smell of natural gas once a year.

“It’s not very common,” he said.

In the case a resident does smell natural gas or suspects a leak, Leal said he suggests they contact SourceGas – the natural gas utility that services the area. The company operates a 24-hour toll-free hotline at (800) 563-0012.