Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LAYTON — The Utah National Guard's 85th Civil Support Team is helping ferret out the source of fumes that made residents sick and displaced at least two families.
The unit has sophisticated equipment to determine more precisely the levels and type of contaminant that may be an issue, Layton spokesman Steve Garside said Wednesday.
In the five impacted homes, Garside added that tests show contaminants are "well below any explosive or flammable level."
Three divisions from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality are also involved — water quality, drinking water and environmental remediation — to determine the source of the leaking gas fumes and resulting impacts.
By late Wednesday, the department announced the source of the fumes still hadn't been determined.
Executive director Alan Matheson signed an order freeing up money to mitigate the hazardous impacts and multiple water and soil samples were taken.
A flyer was sent out Tuesday evening to more than 200 homes in the area of Angel and Gentile streets in a joint notification effort by Layton officials and the state agency.
But the most severely impacted residents say they have been complaining about the fumes since Feb. 14, emailing city leaders with concerns that they say were ignored until just recently.
"I am beyond frustrated," said Tyler Hoskins.
He and his wife, Angie, and their three children have been living in hotels since Feb. 17 and stayed with family on Feb. 16.
Tyler Hoskins said they could not stand the fumes any longer. His son, who is severely disabled, began throwing up, as did as his youngest child.
Angie Hoskins said leaving home made a difference.
"Ever since we did, the children have been so much better," she said.
Garside disputed complaints about lack of responsiveness.
"It is our position that city staff has been responsive to Mr. Hoskins and other neighbors," he said.
UTNG 85th Civil Support Team on it’s way to Layton City to assist in identification of possible contaminant causing illnesses to residents. Contact Layton City for more info.
— Utah National Guard (@UTNationalGuard) February 27, 2019
The contamination has taken a personal and physical toll on the Hoskins family as officials look for answers. Their backyard was excavated by Andeavor, owner of a pipeline, to determine if that was the source of the leak. Additional probes were looking at the Chevron gas station in the same neighborhood.
Garside said the pipeline and petroleum companies were eliminated as a potential source, but state officials said the investigation is continuing.
Last year, a gas plume was discovered during sewer line work in the same neighborhood, Garside said, leading city officials to suspect it may be the cause of this recent problem. The chemical footprint of the gasoline dates it to decade ago.
With the wet weather and storms, officials are investigating whether saturated soils and the high water table were causing the plume to migrate along the storm drain channel.
But the origin of the fumes is still a question.
"We share their frustration about not having the answers," Garside said.
Sampling continuing in multiple locations may help track the source.
"It could be from a historical contaminant source now mobilized by runoff in the storm drain or a more recent petroleum release. That's what we are trying to determine and locate," said Brent Everett, director of the Division of Environmental Response and Remediation, in a news release Wednesday evening.
Erica Gaddis, director of the water quality division, said six samples were collected at storm drains before they dump into Kays Creek, and one sample was taken from the creek itself.
Officials are sampling tap water, and the state installed vapor recovery systems in the most severely impacted homes, according to Utah Department of Environmental Quality spokeswoman Donna Kemp Spangler.
Mark Berger, who has been emailing city leaders, said he is relieved there is now more attention on the issue.
"It is just a big mess with not a lot of answers right now. I am just glad the city is finally letting the public know," he said.
Garside stressed Wednesday he believes city staff has been responsive.
"That is not how Layton has done business. Usually it is all hands on deck. If we indeed dropped the ball, we will learn from it. We are not perfect," he said.
Berger, who has not been staying at his home because of the fumes, shared an email he sent to a pair of council members on Feb. 18, however, disclosing his concern over an acetone and gas smell in his basement.
Both he and Hoskins emailed Mayor Scott Freitag and others on Feb. 25 after they said they had not heard back.
By that evening, Freitag had responded with an apology and assurances that no agency, including the county heath department, had found "hazardous conditions" at Berger's home and there was no need to evacuate.
Berger said county health testing showed hazardous chemicals at elevated levels, including toluene, a solvent added to gasoline and used in paint thinners that is dangerous when inhaled.
The Layton incident marks the second time in just a few weeks that residents of a Utah city have complained their municipal leaders did not inform them quickly enough about an environmental hazard that could pose a potential public health threat.
In Sandy, residents were sickened and complained of foul-tasting water after a fluoride injecting machine malfunctioned, sending concentrate into a section of the water delivery system.
Calls started coming into the city Feb. 6, but a public announcement wasn't made until Feb. 15.
The state is investigating in both instances and has information posted on its website.
Contributing: Ashley Imlay
