What’s that smell in Henrietta? The fire district says a mulch pile is to blame
HENRIETTA, N.Y. — If you’ve driven through Henrietta near Erie Station Road recently, you might have noticed a smoky smell in the air. You’re not alone in wondering about it.
According to the Henrietta Fire District, the odor is coming from a mulch pile that spontaneously combusted. This is not the first time it has happened, as larger mulch piles can generate heat through composting, causing fires beneath the surface.
News10NBC’s Tom Kowalski visited the site to investigate the situation. The smoky, almost nauseating smell is spreading across the area, but it’s not from a house fire. Instead, it’s from the mulch pile.
The Henrietta Fire District assures residents that the smell, originating from organic material, is not harmful. However, neighbors have certainly noticed it.
Patrick Darrough, a nearby resident, described the smell: “So I get up every morning pretty early. It’s nice and brisk in the morning. And it smells like there’s been a bonfire. It smells like my neighbor, he likes to spend some time outside and have a bonfire and have a fire pit going. And that’s what I thought I smelled it smelled like. It’s like burning. It just smells like burning real faintly.”
The town plans to break down and move the pile starting Tuesday, after receiving permission from the Department of Environmental Conservation.
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