Sun Prairie Gas Leak: Evacuation Ceased, Residents Ordered To Stay Away

The mandatory evacuation which was issued within a half-mile of Main Street and White Tail Drive, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, after a gas leak Friday night has been ceased. Sun Prairie Fire Department, however, has ordered residents to stay away from the area and take shelter at the Sun Prairie High School.

“Evacuations have ceased. If you have not been evacuated, you are able to shelter in place. If you have already evacuated, please stay out of the area or remain at Sun Prairie High School until further notice,” the department said at 10.15 p.m. local time (11.15 p.m. EDT).

The department had evacuated 60 to 80 homes and said there is “minimal to no known threat to life or property."

"This is an active situation with no [estimate time] of return. We will advise when the area is safe to return and we appreciate your cooperation in this matter! Thank you!" an alert from the department read.

Fire officials were reportedly informed about the gas leak by a passerby who noted a heavy gas odor from a sewer station where methane gas is sprayed out from the system, NBC-affiliated television station WMTV reported. Energies officials were also called to the area to check the gas leak.

In an incident last month, a gas explosion in Sun Prairie killed fire fighter. Several people were hospitalized and multiple buildings were leveled.

"The Sun Prairie Fire Department is strong. We will keep on building from this. We are hurt, but we will come back," Sun Prairie Fire Chief Christopher Garrison said adding the fire fighter who died had been with the department for more than 10 years.

“It shook the whole building. I thought someone had hit the building with their vehicle. We (saw) the smoke immediately," Jill Thompson, who lived a few blocks away from the location of the explosion, said.