Beware the fruit that gives you gas!

Friday 15 May 2015

A full-scale emergency was prompted on Thursday lunchtime by a foul-smelling fruit.

Some residents around St Paul's Gate in St Helier dialled 999 because they picked up the strong smell of gas. Two fire engines were immediately dispatched and a part-time crew was called in to provide cover. Jersey Gas also rushed to the scene.

Firefighters searched for the source of the stench and eventually traced it to a Durian - an exotic fruit famed for causing similar false alarms.

The spikey-husked edible fruit originates from south-east Asia. Its pungent aroma has been likened to rotten onions, the spray of a skunk, stale vomit (as opposed to the fresh type) and sewage. It also smells like gas.

Fire Service Station Commander Clive Russell said: "We are not alone in being duped by a foul smelling fruit as a quick internet search reveals that it has been the culprit in many false alarms.

"A strong smell of gas in any location is a worrying fire risk and confined to a building, it can be explosive. So we needed to respond quickly. Some Islanders might not be aware that gas in its natural state is, in fact, odourless and colourless. A stenching agent is introduced in Jersey which is deliberately noxious to humans.

"But the source of this alarm did, indeed, smell like a gas leak so I would advise people who like Duriens to store them wisely."