Residents of a small town in Idaho were in for quite a shock when an abrupt alert was sent out, ordering them to evacuate their homes immediately. The reason? A gas line explosion.
A gas line explosion in Middleton, Idaho prompted the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office to issue an evacuation order for anyone residing within a four-mile radius of the blast. Approximately 10,600 individuals were affected by this evacuation order and had no choice but to leave their homes as officials assessed the full extent of the explosion.
The explosive incident erupted just before 1 p.m. on Thursday, October 12, and forced county residents into action with an immediate evacuation order from local authorities – “EVACUATION NOTICE IN MIDDLETON” read a post from Canyon County Sheriff’s Office on Twitter.
The ensuing post further clarified that any resident within four miles of Purple Sage Road and Duff Lane was asked to evacuate their home until further notice due to a gas line explosion near these points of intersection.
****EVACUATION NOTICE IN MIDDLETON***
Our Sheriff’s Office is currently working to evacuate anyone within a 4-mile radius of Purple Sage Rd. and Duff Ln. in Middleton due to a gas line explosion that occurred near the intersection a short time ago.— Canyon County (@CanyonCo) October 12, 2023
Authorities announced shortly after that they had successfully shut off the gas line which provided some relief for those who were affected by the evacuation order in Middleton. The statement released on Twitter read “We just got word that the gas has been turned off. The evacuation notice has been lifted. Anyone within a 4-mile radius is being asked to shelter in place at this time. Will provide additional updates as they become available.”
This news was welcomed with open arms by all who were displaced or directly impacted by this traumatic event – allowing them to finally return home after an intense afternoon spent away from family and friends while fearing for their safety.
Local authorities responded quickly and efficiently throughout this eventful day in Middleton, providing reassurance throughout each step it took toward resolving what seemed like an out-of-control situation only minutes prior. In its final update regarding this incident, Canyon Country Sheriff’s Office reported that “all police and fire units have been cleared” so as not to add any additional stress factors into a time when residents needed assurance more than anything else.
All emergency services have since been cleared from site leaving nothing but thankful citizens in its wake.
Leave a Comment