- An Ogden neighborhood endured an unbearable odor from the abandoned Mountain West Meats for months.
- After residents filed complaints, the city took action; hazmat crews arrived Monday.
- The odor isn't a public health threat and will be gone in a day or two, Ogden Fire Chief Mike Slater said.
OGDEN — What began as a faint odor in early spring turned into a full-blown crisis by summer for one Ogden neighborhood. Families abandoned backyards, canceled barbecues, and shut their windows tight. The source? Pounds of rotting wild game meat left behind in a shuttered processing plant.
"It smells like dead bodies over here," said longtime resident Kim Lindsey. "You can't describe it. It's horrendous."
How it started, and how it got worse
Mountain West Meats, located at 895 37th St. adjacent to Lindsey's home, was quietly abandoned by its owner months ago. At first, neighbors thought the change was temporary.
"In March, we noticed nobody was coming by anymore," Lindsey recalled.
By Memorial Day, the smell became impossible to ignore. The Lindsey family attempted a backyard campout but had to retreat indoors.
"We just couldn't stomach the smell. … There's flies everywhere," Lindsey said.
Lindsey and her husband even reached out directly to the owner, who reportedly returned to the business days later and pulled a garbage can full of meat to the curb to await pickup, but then he never returned.
"He basically abandoned it," Lindsey said. "From there, it just got worse and worse."
Loss of summer, health, and joy
For Lindsey, the timing couldn't have been more painful.
"I suffer from depression. Seasonal depression is the worst for me. So come summertime, I want to be out with my family … I want to feel like myself again. And you can't do it."
Simple joys like gardening, hosting barbecues, and watching her grandkids play at "GG's and Pop Pop's house" became impossible.
"The longest we can sit outside is five minutes," she said. "We've kind of been a prisoner in our own home."
It smells like dead bodies over here.
–Kim Lindsey, Ogden resident
City responds after complaints and court orders
After Lindsey and others filed complaints, Ogden city worked through court orders to gain access to the facility last week. On Monday morning, hazmat crews entered the building, fully suited up and ready to assess the threat.
"We opened it up and found quite a bit of spoiled meat," said Ogden Fire Chief Mike Slater. "We monitored the air, and code enforcement brought in an independent cleanup company."
Slater emphasized that although the smell was severe, there's no threat to public health.
"Nothing rancid made it outside the building. Just a foul odor," Slater said. "Hopefully within a day or two, that's gone."
Cleanup underway
Mitigation crews are expected to work over two days to remove the meat and sanitize the building. Residents may notice a temporary uptick in odor as airflow improves, but relief is near.
"It's amazing to know we weren't ignored. People are taking this seriously … I'm going to get my life back," Lindsey said.
City officials are still working to locate the business owner. Attempts to contact the number listed have been unsuccessful; the line is no longer in service.
