Neighbors in South Riverside Heights say a strong, diesel-like odor has hung over a creek near Reed Park for days, and so far no agency has explained the source.

Tampa Fire Rescue responded to the neighborhood Monday after residents reported a possible hazmat situation. Fire officials then referred questions to the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission.

Residents say the smell comes from a creek that feeds a pond and then the Hillsborough River. They also reported an oily sheen on the water. One neighbor said the odor has lingered for a couple of days.

Paul Pielock, who lives nearby, said the area is residential, with people walking dogs and children playing outside. “We could smell this smell that you could almost taste,” Pielock said. He said he followed the sheen as it moved through the creek, into the pond, and on to the Hillsborough River.

It remains unconfirmed whether anything was dumped into the waterway. The Environmental Protection Commission had not responded to media requests at the time of the original report.

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