Mistake leaves parts of North Carolina city with foul odor

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Parts of North Carolina’s largest city were overcome with a foul smell like rotten eggs after an environmental cleanup company destroyed tanks that contained a harmless gas odorant. The Charlotte Observer reports that Piedmont Natural Gas said Legacy Environmental Services was destroying mercaptan tanks north of downtown Charlotte that were mistakenly reported as empty Thursday. The Charlotte Observer reported on the incident. The Charlotte Fire Department said four storage tanks were involved. Piedmont spokesman Jason Wheatley said the utility did not hire the Charlotte company that did the cleanup. No one from the company involved responded to a request for comment.