Fire Department Responds to Smell at Henry Lehr

The Westport Fire Department responded to Henry Lehr in downtown Westport around 4:30 p.m. today to find that the light ballast in a fluorescent light had burnt out, emitting a strong smell. The ballast is used to create the voltage and current necessary to start and illuminate the fluorescent light.

Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Kingsbury said the smell is not one people are accustomed to but firefighters could immediately identify it and told the store employees not to worry.

Fixing the problem, and the smell, will only involve an electrician changing the light ballast, Kingsbury said.