Gas leak prompts evacuation at Poteet Intermediate School south of San Antonio; classes resume by late morning
Evacuation ordered after construction work damages a gas line
A natural gas leak forced the evacuation of students and staff at Poteet Intermediate School on Thursday morning, February 5, 2026, in the Poteet Independent School District, a community south of San Antonio. District officials said the leak began after construction activity near the district’s central office area inadvertently struck a gas line.
As a precaution, the campus initiated an evacuation shortly after the issue was reported. Students and staff were moved to a nearby safe location on district property, with the junior high gym used as a temporary holding area while the leak was addressed. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.
Safety perimeter, communications to families, and controlled reunification options
District communications to families indicated that student pickup was permitted but not required during the response. Staff directed parents on where to go to avoid interfering with emergency operations and to support orderly reunification for those who chose to pick up students.
School officials also described how conditions on the ground shaped the response. Elementary students in the district were not evacuated, and other secondary campuses were not moved, based on distance from the leak and wind conditions at the time of the event.
Repairs completed and students returned before midday
Officials said the gas line was shut off within roughly half an hour of the evacuation, and the situation was resolved by late morning. By around 11:30 a.m., students were allowed to return to the intermediate campus and normal activities resumed.
What is known about the cause
District leadership attributed the incident to a construction error involving the location or depth of the gas line. Such events are typically treated as high-priority hazards because natural gas can accumulate and ignite if an ignition source is present, even when a leak occurs outdoors.
Regional context: recent school-area gas leaks in and around San Antonio
The Poteet evacuation follows other school-area gas leak responses in the San Antonio region in recent weeks, including an evacuation at Marshall High School in Northside ISD in January after a contractor struck a gas line during digging near the campus. Those incidents have similarly led to temporary evacuations, traffic controls, and delayed dismissal while crews repaired damaged lines.
Location: Poteet Intermediate School (Poteet ISD), south of San Antonio
Date: Thursday, February 5, 2026
Immediate cause reported: Construction activity struck a gas line
Outcome: Evacuation completed safely; classes resumed by late morning
District officials said the evacuation was precautionary and that students and staff remained safe throughout the response.