Fire Department

A mysterious odor that delayed the opening of West Towne Mall Sunday was traced to a malfunctioning industrial floor scrubber.

Ladder Co. 2 was dispatched to a store within West Towne Mall just after 11:00 a.m. to investigate the odor, which was compared to that of “rotten eggs.” Upon entering the mall, firefighters detected carbon monoxide (greater than 20 ppm) as well as the same strong odor that was originally reported. The MFD’s Hazardous Incident Team was asked to respond to assist with identifying and locating the odor.

Crews were able to pinpoint the odor to a mobile floor scrubbing machine that uses a rechargeable battery. The charging system was overcharging the battery, causing the battery to off-gas. Although the scrubber was stored in a separate area from the mall’s shopping areas, the gasses drifted into adjacent businesses.

After firefighters thoroughly ventilated the building and confirmed with their air monitors that the space was safe to occupy, the mall opened at 12:30 p.m.