Degeest Fire Update: Timmons Market accepting donations to assist Dotson family

February 11, 2023

Anna Hamelin, Melissa Cline,

UPDATE: 02/11/2023 4 p.m. – Timmons Market is asking those near or at Rapid Valley to assist with donations for the Dotson family.

Timmons Market says that they are accepting donations at their registers by rounding transactions to the nearest dollar amount. They are also accepting donations of any amount.

The market will deposit all the donations in the fund at Black Hills Federal Credit Union.

UPDATE: 02/11/2023 11:45 a.m. – The home on Degeest is a total loss. As people rummaged through the debris Saturday morning, there was little if anything that could be salvaged. Again, a donation fund has been set up for the family at Black Hills Federal Credit Union. Please specify that your donation is for the Dotson Family Account.

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UPDATE: 02/10/2023 4:45 p.m. -A vehicle rammed into a home causing a deadly explosion in Rapid Valley and leaving one dead and four injured. It happened around 4:15 a.m. Friday in the 1400 block of Degeest Drive. Police and sheriff’s deputies evacuated residents when two neighboring homes were exposed to flames.

Investigators say a vehicle left the road and smashed into the home, starting a gas leak that caused the house to explode and burst into flames.

This made the situation precarious for firefighters. Rapid City Fire Department Division Chief Brian Povandra says, “We had active fire on that gas line, that gas was on fire. And we as a fire department don’t want to put that out until we get the utility company there to cap the line.”

Police said the investigators are still looking into what caused the vehicle to go off the road, but added that they do know the driver was speeding.

Lt. Kelvin Masur with the Rapid City Police Department said, “There was a witness in the area that saw this particular vehicle driving at a high rate of speed shortly before this explosion report came in. That vehicle matches the description of the vehicle on scene.”

The driver was killed. No name has been released pending notification of the family. RCPD says at least four people were home at the time of the crash and explosion, all four were taken to the hospital.

UPDATE: 02/10/2023 4:20 p.m. – A donation account for the family who lost their home as a result of the explosion has been set up at Black Hills Federal Credit Union, according to the Pennington County Fire Administration (PCFA).

Anyone interested in donating can go to any Black Hills Federal Credit Union location and specify they would like to donate to the “Dotson Family Account,” PCFA said.

UPDATE: 02/10/2023 11:20 a.m. – Video of this morning’s explosion on Degeest Drive is included below.

Around 4:15 am, the Rapid City Fire Department was dispatched to the 1400 block of Degeest Drive for reports of a house that exploded. A vehicle had left the road and collided with the house, causing an apparent gas leak to occur. The house then exploded and burst into flames. The resulting structure fire extended into a neighboring residence and threatened an additional neighbor’s house. The damaged gas line was flowing gas that ignited, causing flames to shoot approximately 15-20 feet in the air. Two people were taken to the hospital by ambulance, and a total of three families were displaced by the incident.

UPDATE: 02/10/2023 11:00 am — The driver of the vehicle involved in the collision with the home has been pronounced deceased, according to the Rapid City Police Department.

UPDATE: 02/10/2023 10:10 a.m. — More photos added from the scene on Degeest Drive this morning. We will be providing updates as they become available.

RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Fire Department responded to reports of an explosion in the 1400 block of Degeest Drive around 4:15 Friday morning. When the RCFD arrived on scene, they found a “heavily involved” home, with two surrounding homes also exposed to the flames. The Rapid City Police Department and Pennington County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the initial scene, aiding in the evacuation of neighboring residents.

Officials on scene say that a broken gas line is on fire.

The Rapid City Police Department adds that the incident involved a “significant crash that involves significant speeds,” and detectives will follow up on witness reports of a vehicle traveling at high speeds in the area just before the time of the explosion and fire. The RCPD Critical Accident Reconstruction Team will arrive to process the scene today.

The units on scene of the fire are Battalion 1, Hazmat 6, Engine 4, Truck 6, Squad 1, Engine 7, Truck 1, Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department, and Whispering Pines Volunteer Fire Department, and crews are continuing to work the scene.

NewsCenter1 will provide updates as they become available.