Residents Alarmed by Persistent Natural Gas Smell in Tempe and Phoenix
On the evening of July 6, residents in Tempe and Phoenix were perplexed and concerned by an overpowering smell of natural gas lingering outside their homes. Despite the strong odor, local authorities and utility companies assured there was no gas leak in the area.
Just after 9 p.m., Beth Dietz stepped outside her home, located between Mill Avenue and Rural Road, and Broadway Road and Southern Avenue in Tempe, only to be met with a powerful gas smell. Despite her home’s gas line being cut years ago, she and her neighbors all noticed the same odor.
“I started feeling nauseous, and then, like I said, these other neighbors were saying they were feeling the same thing, and the smell was super strong,” Dietz recalled. “It would be like if you were in a building and there was a major leak in your building, but we were outside.”
Dietz contacted Southwest Gas, who informed her they had received over 100 similar calls from the Tempe and Phoenix areas about the odor. Shortly after, a Southwest Gas vehicle arrived in the neighborhood, prompting residents to inquire about a potential leak.
Michael Monti, another resident, first noticed the smell when his teenagers independently asked him about it. Upon checking his gas stove, he noticed the Southwest Gas vehicle nearby. “I said, ‘Do you guys have a leak over there?’” Monti recounted. “And the Southwest Gas guy gave a kind of an agitated answer because he was putting out traffic cones and such, but he made reference to a leak from a truck over in Phoenix that was spreading the odor.”
Liz Boettcher, a neighbor, also received a similar explanation. “He [the driver] said something about it’s from like an accident or leak on the 60, and it’s moving eastward,” Boettcher mentioned.
The Arizona Department of Transportation noted a disabled vehicle was present on the shoulder of U.S. 60 near the Broadway Curve at approximately 8:45 p.m. on the same night, but no further details were provided. Meanwhile, the Arizona Department of Public Safety confirmed the vehicle wasn’t leaking fuel and wasn’t a gas truck.
In a statement, Southwest Gas stated they responded to odor reports from Phoenix and Tempe on the night in question, but confirmed their system was “operating safely.” They attributed the odor to an unspecified third party and directed inquiries to the Phoenix Fire Department.
The Phoenix Fire Department documented receiving two calls about the gas smell. Crews responded to one location on South 21st Street in Phoenix around 7:30 p.m., but detected no gas odor or readings. Similarly, around 9:50 p.m., they investigated an apartment complex on South 47th Place, reporting the same lack of findings.
The Tempe Fire Department also received five calls regarding the odor. While crews found no immediate threat, Southwest Gas took over the investigation, confirming no gas leak was present.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality did not receive reports on this incident, leaving residents like Dietz seeking clarity. “I want to know what happened, because that was a lot of gas,” she expressed. “And I think we need answers, like, ‘What happened?’ Because I think it was dangerous.”
Dietz and others reported feeling unwell due to the smell. “I was not feeling well all night … I felt like throwing up all night,” Dietz added.
