WATERTOWN, South Dak. (DDN) – An early Sunday morning fire alarm and a high-voltage collision forced Watertown firefighters and the Watertown Police Department to deal with two events at once.
According to a release, the Watertown Fire Rescue and Watertown Police Department responded to a fire alarm at Target shortly after 3 a.m. on February 16. Battalion 1, Engine 4, Engine 3, and Medic 4 were dispatched to respond to the situation. According to the announcement, while en route to the fire, a vehicle collided with a high voltage switch station.
The fire departments separated after getting a report of a car accident. Engine 4 and Medic 4 were diverted to the accident scene, while Battalion 1 and Engine 3 continued to investigate the fire alarm.
The car collision happened around 1121 19th St SE, and it was revealed that one vehicle collided with a high-voltage power switch station. The impact severed the power cabinet from its foundation, stretching the high-voltage cables.
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Following additional inquiry, the arriving officer discovered a crashed 2025 Chevrolet Equinox in the 1000 Block of 19th Street Southeast, according to the announcement. The driver of the Equinox failed to handle the curve on 19th Street Southeast, continuing south off the road and colliding with an electrical utility box and a fence, according to the release. According to the announcement, the collision damaged the area’s electrical service, resulting in the false fire alarm call at Target.
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According to the release, the car’s 22-year-old driver was able to climb out of the vehicle and was guided to safety by a WPD officer. A secure area was established.
According to the statement, Watertown Municipal Utilities was summoned to turn off electricity to the switch station so that the vehicle could be examined for any further victims before being safely removed by a towing company.
The female driver of the Equinox, from Clear Lake, South Dakota, was assessed on the scene by Watertown Fire Rescue Paramedics and was unharmed, according to the announcement. A DUI investigation was conducted on the site, according to the statement, and the motorist was arrested for alleged DUI, according to WPD.
According to the announcement, the Equinox incurred $10,000 in front-end damage and was towed from the scene.
Reference: Watertown Driver Arrested for DUI After Crash Causes Power Outage and False Fire Alarm
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