Students at the Lewis Elementary School were evacuated for a short time this (Friday) afternoon, after a smell of gas was noticed in the boiler room. Superintendent Dana Kunze says the incident occurred at around 12:15-p.m.   Students and staff followed the procedure for a gas leak evacuation, meaning they were taken to a safe location to await an investigation into the source of the smell.

An employee of Black Hills Energy arrived within minutes and a natural gas leak was confirmed. Kunze said there was a leak on the line leading to the hot water heater. After the line was shut off,  and when administrators were given the okay, students and staff returned to the building. Appropriate repairs are being made so the problem does not happen again.