Lakeside Fire-Rescue, a part of the Edgerton Fire Protection District, released Monday that it was alerted by the Rock County 911 Center of an LP gas tank leak at Milton Propane.

According to a recent news release, Milton Propane, 3992 Vincent St., Milton is on the southwest side of the city.

As stated in the release, firefighters on the first arriving units to the scene from Lakeside Fire–Rescue Station 3, otherwise known as the “Milton Station,” observed an LP vapor cloud in the area being driven to the south by the prevailing winds.

Lakeside crews, working closely with Milton Police and Rock County Sheriff’s Office, quickly closed off John Paul Road, Vincent Street, and the surrounding area, the release stated.

According to the release, responders determined that the leak was coming from a valve on the bottom of an approximate 60,000 gallon liquid propane tank.

Fire crews, in concert with employees of Milton Propane, began to assess the best way to safely access the area of the leak when, the release reported, “the leak froze over due to the temperature of the leaking propane”

This, the release continued, “stopped the immediate flow, but then presented a challenge as to how to safely off-load the contents of the storage tank to prevent additional releases of propane gas.”

Rock County Emergency Management and the Rock County Hazardous Materials Response Team were requested to assist in coordinating and mitigating the situation, the release noted. .

The City of Madison Hazardous Materials Response Team also was requested for addition air monitoring equipment.

Off-loading of the leaking 60,000 gallon tank began at approximately 1:53 p.m. and was complete by 4:10 p.m., the release stated.

Firefighters from Lakeside, Janesville, Evansville and Madison Fire departments were involved with the incident, along with personnel from Rock County Emergency Management, and Law Enforcement units from the City of Milton Police Department and the Rock County Sheriff’s Office who coordinated evacuation and securing a safe area around the facility during the incident, the release read.

Additional agencies bringing support, the release noted, included the City of Milton Department of Public Works, Rock County Department of Public Works, Alliant Energy, Rock Energy Cooperative, Rock County Communications Center, City of Beloit Police Department and SWEPT.

During the incident, three homes, three businesses and area traffic was evacuated for approximately 10 hours.

No one was injuring during the incident, the release stated.