Mysterious Foul Odor

By Alex P. Vidal

“Public safety and emergency preparedness is essential.” – Cindy Hyde-Smith

ANTIQUE Governor Paolo Javier did not immediately conclude in his letter to Department of Health (DOH) Regional Director Annabelle Yumang dated July 2, 2025 that inhalation of chemical was what caused the hospitalization of more than 100 students in Sibalom, Antique recently.

The governor described only as “a strong foul odor” what the students in Pis-anan National High School (PNHS) had inhaled.

Many news outlets, however, described what the learners had supposedly inhaled as a “chemical” allegedly coming from a farm adjacent to the PNHS.

So strong was the odor that the students reportedly experienced difficulty in breathing and stomach pains, while some lost consciousness.

The Province of Antique said that several students were rushed to the Ramon Maza Sr. Memorial District Hospital (RMSMDH) “after inhaling an unknown substance at Pis-anan National High School (PNHS).”

It added that 20 patients were transferred to the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital, while 37 were attended by medical responders at a triage set up at the Barangay Pis-anan gymnasium.

Various chemicals actually can produce distinct odors, while others might be completely odorless.

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For instance, Centroid says a sweet smell could indicate the presence of harmful chemicals that may cause temporary symptoms like headaches or nausea.

However, individual reactions to odors can vary. Generally, as the concentration of these chemicals increases, more people are likely to experience symptoms.

While some smells like the garbage that someone forgot to take out or the dog that needs a bath are just unpleasant, other home smells can be a sign of a bigger problem.

According to The Zebra, below are some of the possible causes of this “bigger problem”:

1. Musty or moldy odors. A damp or musty smell often indicates the presence of mold or mildew. These fungi thrive in damp environments and can cause respiratory issues and allergies. Mold is especially common in areas with poor ventilation or water leaks.

In addition to the nasty smell, mold is definitely not something to mess around with as long-term exposure has a negative effect on indoor air quality and can lead to lung infections and chronic bronchitis.

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2. Fishy smell. If you’ve just made a fish dinner and haven’t cleaned up, that’s probably your culprit. But what if you haven’t? A fishy smell can actually be caused by an electrical wiring issue. Sometimes this will also present as a burning smell or specifically burning rubber.

When a wire or electrical mechanism overheats and melts its insulating plastic or rubber, it can produce these smells. And without that insulating plastic or rubber, you’re at risk for a house fire. In fact, electric malfunction is one of the top three causes of house fires each year.

3. Sweet, syrupy smell. A sweet, syrupy smell could be a sign of a coolant leak from your HVAC system or refrigerator. Coolants used in air conditioning such as ethylene glycol can be toxic if inhaled or ingested.

And of course, a well-functioning HVAC system requires all the fluids being in proper working order, so a leak can cause issues with your system.

4. Ammonia smell. If you detect the smell of ammonia when you haven’t recently been cleaning, it could be the smell of a decaying animal. A mouse, squirrel or raccoon may have found its final resting place in your attic, basement or inside your home’s walls behind the drywall.

Dead animals can attract insects and pose health risks, but the biggest issue of a dead animal in your walls is just the awful smell itself.

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5. Sewage smell. If you notice a sewer smell coming from a bathtub or sink drain, it could mean you have a clogged pipe.

It could also mean you don’t have enough water in the train’s P trap. The P trap is a curved pipe that is full of water and blocks offensive odor of sewer gas from your sewer line or septic tank. In a tub or toilet that is seldom used, this water may have evaporated. This water needs to be replaced in order to get rid of the smell.

6. Rotten-egg smell. Anyone who has ever been to a natural hot spring, knows the unmistakable smell of rotten eggs that indicates sulfur is present. A rotten-egg smell in your home is a warning to you that you have a natural gas leak. This is an immediate safety concern. Gas is volatile and can cause an explosion.
7. Chemical or paint smells. If you haven’t recently used chemicals or paint, a strong chemical smell could indicate a gas leak, particularly from carbon monoxide. A distinctly chemical odor can result from a crack in the heat exchanger component of your furnace. This component cycles heat out of the combustion chamber. In addition to be being smelly, a broken heat exchanger increases the risk of fire and can distribute carbon monoxide fumes throughout your home.

Carbon monoxide itself is odorless and colorless, making it especially dangerous.

8. Chemical smell from new furniture. If you’ve recently built new flat-packed furniture or installed new carpets, you might notice a chemical smell emanating from them. Pressed-board furniture and carpets can release what are known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These can impact your indoor air quality, and of course the bad smell itself is off-putting.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)