What Happened in Dickson: A Durian Gas Leak Debacle
On Friday, October 15, the emergency services in Canberra’s suburb of Dickson thought they’d spotted a gas leak. The local fire and rescue crews posted on Facebook, saying, “No exclusion zones are currently in place – but please avoid the area.” It was the start of a short‑lived panic.
Truth Revealed… A Fruit Was the Culprit
Within an hour, the authorities clarified that it wasn’t a gas leak at all. Instead, they’d run into a durian—a notoriously odorous fruit that can fill a whole street with its scent. The source? The shop owner’s tenant upstairs. The misstep turned into a nationwide meme.
Going Viral
The post quickly multiplied: more than 800 comments and 600 shares in just six hours. People split into two camps—those who love the durian for its “horror‑movie” aroma, and those who’d rather keep it out of their living rooms.
The Bottom Line
- Small community of under 2,000 people
- Initial false alarm generated a rush of social media chatter
- Durian’s rep is both infamous and beloved in equal measures
So next time you hear a weird smell in suburbia, remember: it might be a fruit, not fire. Stay safe—and maybe skip the durian if you’ve got a sensitive nose!
Durians Drop Gas Alerts in Aussie Libraries
Who knew that the king of fruit could also be the king of chaos? In November 2023, the University of Canberra’s library got a surprise visit from emergency services—this time because of a surprisingly potent gas leak alert.
What Went Down?
Apparently, someone had tossed a halal (or not?!) durian into a garbage bin near an air vent. The fruit’s infamous aroma—something between ripe banana and power wrench—escaped via the vents, setting off the gas detector and triggering the alarm.
Consequences
- Hundreds of students and staff had to evacuate the library floor.
- Emergency crews rushed in, sniffing the air and checking the smell levels.
- The staff had to close the library for at least an hour while the vents were inspected and the mysterious odor was tracked down.
But Wait, It’s Not the First Time!
Remember 2019? The same mishap hit the University of Canberra again. Students had to step out when a durian left behind in a bin caused a “strong smell of gas” warning—making everyone say, “OK, now I wish there was a way to keep fruit out of fire alarms.”
Lesson Learned
- Don’t let fruit sit in scents’ hot spots.
- Keep the vents dust‑free, but also fruit‑free.
- Always check the smell before hissing the panic button.
So next time you find a durian on campus, think twice before placing it near any vents. Your safety—and a very confused campus security team—might just thank you.
Note: no real emergency was caused by this incident. The library’s staff handled the situation calmly and apologized for the inconvenience, hoping to keep everyone safe, even after the “king of fruit” tried to rule the air!
