Executive Summary
- A gas main leak near Fountain-Fort Carson High School in Colorado triggered a shelter-in-place order and evacuations on Monday evening.
- The order is in effect for a half-mile radius from the 800 block of Hayloft Lane, with immediate area residents evacuated.
- Utility company Black Hills Energy is on site repairing the leak, which officials warned could take several hours to resolve.
- Residents were advised to close windows, shut down HVAC systems, and avoid open flames until the area is declared safe.
A gas main leak near Fountain-Fort Carson High School prompted a shelter-in-place order and evacuations in Fountain, Colorado, on Monday evening. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office issued the alert at 6:59 p.m., advising residents to avoid the area as emergency crews responded to the scene.
The Fountain Fire Department confirmed that the order affects a half-mile radius surrounding the 800 block of Hayloft Lane, with residents in the immediate vicinity being evacuated. Officials stated that utility company Black Hills Energy was on-site conducting repairs to a damaged gas main located off the road.
Authorities advised that it could take several hours to shut off the gas and for the smell to dissipate. Residents under the shelter-in-place order were instructed to close all doors and windows, turn off heating and cooling systems, and avoid using any open flames as a precautionary measure.
Emergency services and utility crews are continuing to manage the situation. The advisory will remain in effect until the area is deemed safe by officials.