East Vincent Township officials say they are actively investigating reports from residents who have heard a mysterious recurring sound in parts of the township, though the source has not yet been identified.
During the East Vincent Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night, township staff said residents have contacted the township in recent weeks about unusual noises heard both during the day and at night. Township Manager Bob Zienkowski told supervisors the township has begun working to try to determine the cause.
Township Investigating Possible Sources
Township officials said they have contacted nearby utilities and conducted field checks in response to the reports.
Zienkowski said township staff reached out to Constellation, which operates the nearby Limerick Generating Station, to determine whether any operational changes or equipment issues could be producing the sound. Officials also contacted PECO to see whether electrical infrastructure such as substations could be responsible.
So far, those inquiries have not identified a clear source.
Township police and staff have also attempted to locate the sound by visiting reported areas. Zienkowski said officers have spent evenings in various parts of the township listening for the noise and responding to reports as they come in.
Despite those efforts, the township has not yet been able to consistently detect or trace the sound.
Residents Describe Persistent Sound
Several residents described the sound and its effects during the public comment portion of the meeting.
Monica Schryver of Valley Creek Lane said the noise resembles a large mechanical fan and is difficult to record using standard phone audio.
“We can stand outside our house and it sounds like a huge propeller fan,” Schryver told the board, adding that when she’s upstairs in her home, it’s more like a “vibration.”
She said the sound can last for hours and may be tied to low-frequency vibrations that are difficult for typical recording devices to capture.
“After a night of hearing it, your ears feel like somebody who has taken cymbals and gone like this all night around your ears,” she said, making a crashing motion.
Another resident, Joanna Tenney of New Street in Spring City, said she has also documented the sound and shared recordings with township officials.
Tenney said the noise can sometimes be heard throughout the day, though the intensity varies.
“I sent a video to Bob [Zienkowski], and it was awful that day. It was all day,” she said. “Then it stopped for like three days and came back again, but it wasn’t as loud — the vibration was more.”
Tenney said she lives about four miles from the Limerick power plant and believes the sound may be traveling farther than residents might expect.
“When you try to go to sleep, you're constantly hearing the ring in your ears,” she said. “You wake up with vertigo sometimes or headaches.”
Residents Encouraged to Report Incidents
Township officials encouraged residents to report the noise immediately when it occurs so police can respond in real time.
“If there’s a specific time that you hear it, let us know,” Zienkowski said, advising residents they can call 911 so officers can investigate while the sound is occurring.
Officials also asked residents to record the noise if possible, noting that audio or video documentation could help identify patterns or possible sources.
Investigation Ongoing
For now, township officials say the issue remains unresolved.
Staff will continue coordinating with utilities, neighboring municipalities, and police while collecting reports from residents in hopes of identifying the source of the unexplained sound.
“We’re trying to put a puzzle together on this,” Zienkowski said.
