SIOUX FALLS, SD — A car crashed into an apartment complex in Canton on Friday just before 12:30 p.m., according to police, and the impact struck a gas line. The collision happened at East 4th Street and North Dakota Street and prompted an emergency response that included evacuations and a perimeter around the area.
The Canton Police Department later said the intersection was safe for travel after crews dealt with the gas leak. Police shared the update in a Facebook post and said the situation had been brought under control.
Gas line strike prompted evacuations around the apartment complex
After the crash, authorities moved quickly because the vehicle had hit a gas line. Police said residents were evacuated while officials worked to secure the scene and keep people away from the danger area.
The perimeter was set up to control access while responders addressed the leak. No information was given about how long the evacuations lasted, but the police department said the intersection was later considered safe for travel.
The location of the crash, at a busy intersection in Canton, made the response especially urgent because of the risk linked to the damaged gas line.
Two people were in the apartment, but neither was injured
Police said two people were inside the apartment that was hit. Neither person was injured in the crash, which helped narrow the incident to property damage and the gas leak response rather than a wider rescue operation.
The apartment complex itself was the point of impact, but police did not say whether the structure suffered major damage. What they did confirm was that the people inside made it out without injuries.
That detail offered some relief in an event that could have been more serious given the involvement of a gas line.
The driver was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries
The driver of the vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital after the crash. Police said she had minor injuries.
No additional details were released about what led up to the crash or why the vehicle struck the apartment complex. Authorities also did not identify the driver.
Even with the limited injuries reported, the crash still triggered a broader safety response because of the gas leak and the need to evacuate nearby residents.
Canton police said the intersection was later safe for travel
By the time police issued their update, the scene had been stabilized enough for the intersection to reopen. The Canton Police Department said the area was safe for travel after the leak was addressed.
That reopening marked the end of the immediate emergency response at East 4th Street and North Dakota Street. Police did not provide a timeline for when the road reopened, only that the intersection was no longer considered dangerous.
The Facebook post was the department’s main public update on the crash and the gas leak response.
What is known so far about the Canton crash
At this point, the confirmed facts are limited to the crash location, the gas line strike, the evacuation response and the injuries reported by police. Canton police did not say whether speed, distraction or any other factor played a role.
The department also did not release information about possible citations or whether the apartment complex needed repairs after the collision. For now, the key public takeaway is that no one inside the apartment was hurt and the intersection was cleared.
The incident serves as a reminder of how quickly a traffic crash can become a public safety issue when utilities are involved.
