LILESVILLE DAM BREAK: Residents forced to evacuate after the rupture of a dam in Anson County

LILESVILLE, N.C. – A dam on Highway 145 in Lilesville erupted Monday, said Anson County Sheriff.

Residents of several homes have been ordered to evacuate, emergency management officials told Channel 9.

[FLORENCE AFTERMATH: Roads wiped out, rivers near record levels across NC]

Emergency management officials said they thought the houses were safe, but they were still evacuating about 12 homes.

The evacuees were sent to the Lilesville Fire Department.

The dam is not the Blewett Falls Dam, officials said. It is a sand and gravel business – BV Hedrick.

This rupture of the upper dam is likely to break another dam of the company, officials said.

Dam inspectors with DEQ are on site even though it is not a regulated dam.

Highway 145 was closed from Highway 74 to Haileys Ferry Road.