Nearly 48 hours after a strong odor spread across Athens’ southern suburbs and reached parts of the city center, authorities still had not provided an official explanation for its source.
Officials and market figures linked the smell to mercaptan, a chemical added to odorless natural gas so leaks can be detected.
Specialists described the odor as stronger than liquefied petroleum gas and said the substance is transported in cylinders similar to oxygen tanks.
The gas distribution company Enaon EDA and Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said inspections found no natural gas leak.
Papastavrou told ANT1 that authorities conducted extensive on-site checks and that “there was no danger to public safety.”
