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Officials Investigate Suspicious Smell In Leetsdale

LEETSDALE (KDKA) – Part of a Leetsdale street was blocked off Tuesday night while police investigated strange odors, which prompted several complaints from neighbors.

Residents started calling authorities about strong odors coming from a multi-car garage in the 100-block of Broad Street around 8 p.m.

Officials now say it was carburetor cleaner that caused the Hazmat situation.

Emergency Management Coordinator Amos Cameron said the cleaner had possibly eaten away at the container it was stored in, leaking onto the floor of the garage.

"It was a pungent odor that was all over Broad Street at the time," Leetsdale Police Chief James Santucci said.

Crews had to break into the garage after making several failed attempts to contact the garage owner, Robert Kunsak.

Cameron said what they found was, "very corrosive, very poisonous. From what we saw in the guide book, pretty nasty stuff."

Neighbors were told to stay indoors while Allegheny County Hazardous Materials crews arrived and investigated.

The garage was condemned by officials and the owner was ordered to hire an outside agency to clean and properly dispose of the waste.

He was given 48 hours to complete that.

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