KELLY FARRELL / Staff

Marco Island Fire Rescue crews cool an over-filled and overheating propane tank at Town Center on East Elkcam Circle on Wednesday.

QUENTIN ROUX / Staff

Marco Island firefighters cool off a propane tank which gained high pressure due to Wednesday's extreme midday sun and heat. Officials spent two hours addressing the gas leak at Town Center on East Elkcam Circle.

QUENTIN ROUX / Staff

Marco Island Fire Rescue Cpt. Dave Batiato stays in touch with crews while he stands at the perimeter of the gas leak Wednesday to keep passersby safely away from the leaking and overheated propane tank behind the Post Office on East Elkcam Circle.

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Post Office employee’s keen sense of smell kept Elkcam Circle safe Wednesday.

The employees of the Post Office on East Elkcam Circle contacted the Marco Island Fire Rescue Department 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, reporting a suspicious smell.

“Fortunately, an additive, mercaptan, is placed into the propane gas by the gas manufacturer which produces a rotten-egg odor. This is why leaks are often reported quickly,” said Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Chris Byrne.

Marco Island Fire Rescue units arrived on scene within three minutes of the call and inspected a large propane gas tank behind Vandy’s Five Brothers Pizza.

Fire officials reported that they found propane gas vapors from the tank’s relief valve.

The gas supplier, Amerigas, sent a technician to the scene who determined the tank had been overfilled.

Byrne said a similar situation occurred at the same location last year and the Fire Marshall will be working with Amerigas to avoid another occurrence at the Town Center.

An Amerigas technician performed “a pump off operation removing the excess gas from the tank,” Byrne said.

Fire crews extended hose lines and applied a steady water stream onto the tank dissipating the vapors and cooling the tank. Additional fire crews used air monitoring equipment to determine if any flammable propane gas vapors were present, fire officials reported.

Since propane gas is flammable and heavier than air, the gas will seek and pocket low lying areas, Byrne explained.

“The relief valve preformed as designed relieving the pressure when the tank heated from the sun, and reset when cooled by our lines,” he added.

Crews examined the Post Office and Town Center businesses and reported no gas vapors were present, clearing the scene within about two hours after the fire crews’ arrival.