A leaking underground propane tank near the Texas Renaissance Festival led to a voluntary evacuation of nearby homes and a hazmat response Saturday morning in Todd Mission, according to the Grimes County Fire Marshal’s Office. Around 8:45 a.m. on October 24, the Todd Mission Volunteer Fire Department was called to a reported gas leak at a home on Tuliptree Lane. Firefighters found that an underground propane tank holding about 300 gallons was leaking and its shut-off valve had failed. Out of caution, a voluntary evacuation was issued for neighboring homes, and campfires at the nearby Renaissance Festival were put out. Officials said the festival itself was not evacuated. The College Station Fire Department’s hazmat division was called in on mutual aid to safely flare off the propane, while Todd Mission VFD provided fire protection and St. Joseph EMS stood by. The Grimes County Sheriff’s Office and Grimes County Emergency Management handled traffic control. No injuries were reported.
