Dam break forces evacuation in Avon

AVON, Ind. (WISH) - Avon residents are being allowed to return to their homes after a dam breach forced them to evacuate early Tuesday morning.

Jerry Bessler, public information officer for Washington Township Avon Fire Department, reports all but five residents of Indian Head Lake are being allowed to return to their homes. The five who are not being allowed to return will be given permission to retrieve items from their homes but will be unable to stay in their homes.

Residents of Riverside Trailer Park are also being allowed to return home.

Bessler emphasizes that these residents may be “re-evacuated if they get more rain.”

Forty homes and 16 mobile homes were evacuated earlier Tuesday after water gushed out of a dam breach at Indian Head Lake.

Experts tell 24-Hour News 8 that 30% of the earthen dam eroded and washed away down the spillway.

“The major concern here is that this damage could happen so fast. The worst speculation would be that bridges U.S. 36 or 100 North could be overwhelmed by water,” Bessler said.

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