Following the Culver City Fire Department's response to a gas smell in the Fox Hills area, reports started coming in from as far away as Playa del Rey, with many people calling fire departments and the gas company to report a smell similar to natural gas.
"Since we came back from the Fox Hills area, we notified Los Angeles County and Los Angeles City officials of similar complaints coming from a widespread area, as far as Playa del Rey," Culver City Fire Chief Chris Syverson told Patch in a telephone call at 4 p.m. Thursday.
"I also smelt it as far away as Ladera Heights," Syverson added.
However, despite both Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County also dispatching units to several areas, none of the agencies could find the source of the odor, Syverson said.
Syverson added that when CCFD units went to Fox Hills because the odor was strongest there, "we believed that the [smell] came from Playa del Rey originally because we checked the wind speed and direction and there was definitely an onshore breeze," he said. He added that LA City also believed it was coming from the beach areas.
"It blew in from that area but it appears it went away. "It was a rogue gas smell."
The buildings that were evacuated in Fox Hills were self-evacuations, Syverson added. They were not organized by CCFD.
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Syverson said there was nothing more to do at this stage. "I've advised my dispatch that if we receive any further calls regarding this issue we'll respond," he said.
