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Downtown Delavan evacuated Wednesday following natural gas-line break

Firefighters go door-to-door Wednesday evening, evacuating part of downtown Delavan following a gas line break. Terry Mayer/staff.

DELAVAN -- As firefighters evacuated part of downtown Delavan Wednesday evening because of a natural gas leak, Delavan Police Chief Tim O'Neill said it was ironic that it came on the anniversary of Delavan's biggest fire.

The Colonial Hotel fire of Jan. 20, 1978 threatened the entire downtown business district.

Thankfully, yesterday wasn't a disaster, O'Neill said.

Emergency workers were called at 4:19 p.m. with reports of a natural gas line break and evacuated businesses in a two-block area of downtown.

Lieutenant Gregory Strohm and Captain Pete Nieuwenhuis used their hands to dig through the snow to get to the shutoff valve, according to O'Neill.

Crews from the town of Delavan, Delavan Rescue, Walworth, Elkhorn, Fontana, Darien, Williams Bay, the Racine Fire Bells and Walworth County Emergency Management assisted.

The downtown was reopened about 7:45 p.m., O'Neill said.

The evacuation was one of five incidents the Delavan Fire Department responded to Wednesday.

The first call came from Lowe's, which had a water line leak.

Later in the day, the Delavan Fire Department assisted in extinguishing a residential house fire at N6129 Hodunk Road near Elkhorn.