Attica was choked by an unknown gas for five hours: the authorities never found the source

Tuesday morning, sharp smell of gas covered the south Attica and reached the center Athens. Checks were carried out almost everywhere, but the source was never found…

Five o’clock over the southern suburbs Attica and part of the center Athens there was a pungent odor reminiscent of domestic natural gas. It was felt by residents in an area several tens or even hundreds of square kilometersbut a day later the authorities still have not given a clear answer: where it came from and what exactly people inhaled.

The smell was so strong that in some areas residents said it was difficult to breathe. IN Fire service received 356 calls from Wools, Vouliagmeni, Vari, Glyfadas, Ilioupoli, Argyroupoli, Paleo-Faliro, Nea Smirni, Vironas and other areas. Cases of nausea and vomiting have also been reported in people with more sensitive bodies.

And here the most interesting thing begins: there was a smell, there was an alarm, there were calls, but the devices, according to the authorities, did not show anything dangerous. It turns out to be almost a classic of Greek administration: citizens are suffocating, services are running, statements are coming out, and the source is like an honest parking lot in the center of Athens, it seems like it should exist, but no one has seen it.

Gas networks: no leaks found

Brigades ENAONa gas distribution company, checked the network but found no signs of an accident or leak. A similar position was taken by Διαχειριστής Εθνικού Συστήματος Φυσικού Αερίου (operator of the National High Pressure Natural Gas System, ΔΕΣΦΑ): There was no drop in pressure that could indicate a leak.

Representatives ΔΕΣΦΑ also reported that its network does not pass through the areas where most of the complaints came from. At the same time, the installations were also checked Revytusebut according to official data, nothing suspicious was found there either.

Checks were also carried out from the sea. Coast Guard examined gas transportation vessels located in Saronic Gulf. But this trace has not yet yielded results: neither on gas carriers, nor in the port area Piraeus no incident was identified that could explain the odor.

Factories, ships, Psittalia: also no answer

Companies Helleniq Energy And Motor Oil stated that they did not find any problems at their facilities and did not record a similar odor in the area Triasio. Sources in Water supply and sewerage company of the capital, ΕΥΔΑΠ) also reported that there is no indication of a connection between the phenomenon and the wastewater treatment center at Psittalia.

Fire trucks patrolled the areas where the most complaints were received to check for possible gas leaks, industrial emissions or other dangerous sources. But despite all this activity, the specific point of origin of the smell has never been found.

According to the message Greek Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protectionstationary air pollution sensors did not show increased values ​​of harmful substances. Interactive air quality monitoring, which is used as part of the national pollution control system managed by the services, also remained in the “green zone” Ministry of Environment and Energy, ΥΠΕΝ). Measures of suspended particles, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide remained within normal limits.

See also Smell of gas in Attica: three probable sources named

What if it was a real accident?

The official picture looks strange: the smell was so noticeable that it caused massive calls and alarms among almost a million residents, but the devices did not see anything. This does not reassure, but on the contrary, raises an unpleasant question: if we were talking about a real chemical release, would the authorities have known about it from sensors – or from people falling in the streets?

The version about the seismic origin of the smell also looks weak. Seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos previously reminded that before strong earthquakes in some cases the release of gases is actually recorded, for example radon. But radon has no smell and is detected by special devices. Therefore, a sharp stench, similar to gas, does not fit well with this version. Nature, of course, knows how to surprise, but attributing everything to “some kind of fault” is no longer an explanation, but an attempt to make a graceful shrug.

In a city where residents already live under constant environmental stress – suspended particles, ozone, heat, traffic jams – such uncertainty acts as an anxiety amplifier. People felt more than just an unpleasant odor. They saw that even in the event of a massive incident, the system cannot quickly and convincingly say: what happened, whether it was dangerous and where it came from.

Editorial comment

The smell itself could disappear. But the problem remained: Attica for several hours received a mass incident with no source, no clear cause and no convincing public explanation. They checked networks, ships, factories, treatment facilities, sensors – and everywhere it seemed like “nothing.” Wonderful. Only very real people breathed this “nothing”.

If the authorities want to avoid panic, They do not need to be reassured with general words, but explained in detail: what exactly has been tested, what substances have been excluded, which versions remain working and who is responsible for further control. Otherwise, each subsequent smell in Attica will be perceived not as a technical episode, but as another test of the state’s ability to generally understand what is happening under its nose. Literally.

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