Monitors Report No Methane Danger
A scientist and city officials monitored methane gas levels under Edison Community Park on Wednesday after abnormally high readings were recently reported to county health officials.
“There is no immediate danger to any of the residents or to the school adjacent to the park,” said Richard Barnard, city director of communications. “We went through the nearby homes and found no readings that would necessitate abandoning the homes.”
Additionally, scientists found all structures at nearby William E. Kettler Elementary School--classrooms, restrooms, storage areas, offices and workrooms--were safe.
The park is on the site of a landfill, which can produce the flammable gas.
City officials are working on a plan to vent the area and install permanent monitoring devices to ensure that such high levels are not reached again, Barnard said.
The Orange County Integrated Waste Management Department, which operated the landfill until it was closed in 1969 and given to Huntington Beach, detected the high readings last month.
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