Atchison firefighters clear gas odor, Homestead residents safely return after evacuation

Homestead Assisted Living Facility residents were safely evacuated Sunday evening after staff and Atchison firefighters responded to a gas-odor report at 1301 North 4th Street, with the building cleared and no injuries reported.

Fire Chief Patrick Weishaar said crews were dispatched around 7:50 p.m. and found staff already in the process of moving residents out of the facility as a precaution. Firefighters traced the odor to a gas stove, but monitoring equipment showed no dangerous readings inside the building, and no active gas leak was found.

Crews used ventilation fans to clear the smell before residents were allowed back inside. Weishaar praised staff for their quick action and adherence to safety protocols, a response that helped keep the incident from becoming more serious for older adults who can face extra risks during an evacuation.

The facility at 1301 North 4th Street was formerly known as Vintage Park, and the Sunday evacuation showed how quickly a routine odor complaint can turn into a full safety response at an assisted-living site. In settings like Homestead, early evacuation, clear communication and coordinated checks from the fire department can make the difference between a scare and a crisis.

The building is now part of a larger senior-care network after Topeka-based Midwest Health completed a major acquisition in December 2025 of 15 assisted-living communities previously operated as Vintage Park. Midwest Health said the deal added about 600 apartments and more than 315 employees to its network, which it said served about 4,000 seniors daily across six states.