Gas leak forces evacuation of Fort Pierre homes

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FORT PIERRE (AP) — Two blocks of a Fort Pierre residential neighborhood were evacuated for two hours Thursday afternoon after a contractor hit a four-inch gas line.

Fort Pierre Fire Chief Rick Cronin tells the media that the levels of escaped gas were not high, but two churches and nearly a dozen homes one block to the west and one block to the south were evacuated as a precaution.

A contractor had been working where a home was being renovated.

The break was reported about 1:30 p.m., and homeowners were allowed to return at about 3:45 p.m.

Cronin says the lack of wind helped prevent the gas from being blown toward nearby schools.

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