An unknown odor emanates from the Carillon Lakes sub-division, forcing residents to take shelter inside and seal their doors. But no one can find the source.
Russ Delaney, a Carillon Lakes resident, said he began smelling a sulfuric, gas-like odor floating through his neighborhood last fall. Since early March, it has become stronger and more consistently wafting down his street.
“It’s become so strong that when you close the door, you can smell it in your house,” Delaney said.
Lakeland Fire Department has received more than 10 calls from the community in roughly the past month, reporting potential hazardous odor conditions.
“When it’s bad, it’s really, really bad,” said Lisa Rudis, a Carillon Lakes homeowner.
City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said on April 7 to city commissioners stating city staff have been investigating possible causes of the odor for several weeks, working alongside other agencies.
“We have continued to work from city staff and to work with other agencies to determine the source of where these odors may be coming from,” Sherrouse told city commissioners at a recent agenda study. “None of the agencies have been able to do that just yet.”
The city’s wastewater division has been involved in attempting to track down potential causes of the odor, according to Sherrouse, but unsuccessfully.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is investigating the smell, according to Sherrouse.
City Commissioner Stephanie Madden said residents have complained of feeling sick, nauseous, and getting headaches from the smell. Madden said she’s concerned that residents are becoming sick and whether there might be any health impacts.
Complicating things further, several Carillion Lakes area residents said the odor mysteriously disappeared around the kick-off of Sun ‘n Fun, a lack of stench for the first several days of the annual aerospace expo. It returned suddenly on April 12 and has continued to flare up in the week since.
“This is something we are continuing to be concerned about,” Mayor Bill Mutz said.
The Lakeland Gazette tried to reach out to the Carillon Lakes Property Management for comment but no one would return our inquiry about the odor.