COVINGTON, Ohio (WXIX) – About 100 homes in Latonia in Covington have been equipped with methane monitors after elevated gas levels were detected in a home in the neighborhood in July.

The methane is believed to have come from the Bill Cappel Youth Sports Complex. The large complex was formerly a municipal landfill that was closed in 1986.

“When I was a kid, I lived up there on the street near 42nd and Decoursey,” said resident Jerry Eldred. “When the wind blew from that direction and all the garbage was down there, it smelled bad.”

The area now consists of baseball fields, a picnic area, a water park, and a storage area for Covington Public Works.

Vanessa Cassat said she was visited Friday by city and state officials who told her they had found methane in a closed church on her street and in a neighboring home.

Officials gave her a methane and carbon monoxide monitor to install in the house. She was one of about 100 residents to receive such a monitor.

The city says methane and carbon dioxide are natural byproducts of the decomposition of organic material, such as garbage. The house where a methane leak was discovered now has a vapor extraction system.

The city said there have been ventilation shafts on the sports complex site since the landfill was closed.

Do you see a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a recent news story? Send it here with a short description.

All rights reserved.