Mystery smell in Caon City, neighbors wondering where it’s coming from
People who live near an uranium-contaminated mill site in Fremont County say something stinks. Neighbors say it’s been a problem for weeks, but no one can explain where the foul fumes are coming from.
Some describe it as rotten eggs, others say it simply smells like chemicals. What they can’t say for sure is where it’s coming from, but a lot of fingers are pointing to Cotter Corp.
Colorado Legacy Land is the new owner of the property. We spoke to them over the phone Wednesday and they tell us they’ve been concerned about the mystery smell as well.
They told KRDO, they’ve had both county and state officials out to inspect, but later determined Cotter Corp. isn’t the cause of it.
William Condoluci says he likes to spend time in his backyard, picking apples, but lately, he’s had to avoid going outside due to a foul smell taking over – everything!
“I smelled it and it started burning my eyes. My eyes were watering. I couldn’t stop it. They puffed up,” Condoluci said.
The smell is just as bad at Cathy Goodwin’s home. She says it even wakes her up at night.
“When it’s really strong, you get a headache, sometimes you feel even a little sick to your stomach,” Goodwin said.
So if it’s not coming from Cotter Corp., people are left asking, what is causing it? Fremont County Commissioner Tim Payne says finding the source is a priority.
“Is it harmful to our residents, is it not harmful? I think we need to determine that and then find out where the source is coming from,” Payne said.
Without answers, people who live in Cañon City will have to resort to closing their windows and doors to get away from it. The city is in the works of hiring a private contractor to do some tests to find the source of the smell.
When it comes to cleaning up the Superfund Site, Colorado Legacy Land says it’s their priority to get it done.
The EPA is also having a meeting on Thursday, October 18 and 6 p.m. in the Abbots Room at The Abbey to discuss the next steps in cleaning the site up.
