Gas Leak Forces Evacuations in Watertown Neighborhood

October 22, 2026

WATERTOWN, S.D. (KWAT)–Watertown Fire Rescue was dispatched Wednesday afternoon to a gas leak at a home in the 1000 block of 2nd Avenue Southeast.

Gas meters indicated that natural gas limits in the home had reached a lower explosive level.

Fire Rescue and Watertown police established a large safety perimeter, evacuating surrounding homes and shutting down local roads for an hour-and-a-half.

First responders initially allowed the home to naturally ventilate while finishing neighborhood evacuations.

Folliowing an hour of ventilation, gas monitoring equipment confirmed zero detectable levels of natural gas inside the home.