YELLOWKNIFE - Trapped methane gas following an early-morning sewer pumpout is suspected after Yellowknife Fire Department responded to a possible propane leak at the Old Town Landing restaurant Monday afternoon.

According to Lieut. Mike Lowing of the fire department, a staff member smelled gas in the building and telephoned the fire department at the noon-hour.

"She called us right away which was the right thing to do," said Lowing, adding the restaurant's kitchen was equipped with four propane tanks.

"Basically sewer gas has a similar smell to propane... even I walked in there and couldn't tell," he said.

Employing three gas detectors, fire fighters were able to determine that the smell was not propane but methane.

Lowing says either gas can be dangerous but methane levels at the landing were simply enough to smell, nothing more.

"It barely registered on our detectors," he added.