By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

Much of Shelby County was struck by a foul-smelling odor on Christmas Day, as the inclement weather helped to exasperate what typically would be a routine occurrence.

On the afternoon of Christmas Day, local 911 lines received multiple calls reporting an odor similar to natural gas covering most of the county, according to several area police and fire departments.

After inquiring with the Shelby County 911 office, police departments reported the odor was the result of a routine methane gas release from a paper mill near the Coosa River in Childersburg.

“We are receiving calls from citizens about an odor similar to natural gas that is being smelled all over the city,” the Helena Fire Department posted on Dec. 25. “Due to the current weather conditions the odor is being blown over Shelby County and is being detected over a large part of the county.”

Local emergency responders, such as the Alabaster Police Department, urged residents to call 911 for any medical emergencies related to the incident, but encouraged callers to refrain from calling the emergency line just to report the odor.

Residents in all parts of Shelby County reported smelling the odor, many comparing it to smells such as an electrical fire, sulfur or rotten eggs. Residents from Columbiana to Hoover reported encountering the strong odor throughout the day.

“A paper mill in Childersburg is conducting a pre-scheduled methane release related to their operations,” read a Dec. 25 post on the Pelham Police Department Facebook page. “Local fire crews have responded to areas where residents have reported this concentrated odor and determined there is no danger to the public. The odor should dissipate throughout the next several hours.”