  We report the detection of 22 GHz H2O maser emission from the red supergiant
IRAS04553-6825 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. It is the first known source of
circumstellar H2O maser emission outside the Milky Way. The measured flux
density is comparable to that expected from scaling the galactic red supergiant
NML Cyg. The peak velocity agrees with the SiO maser peak velocity.
  A near-infrared spectrum indicates that IRAS04553-6825 has a typical LMC
metallicity. We argue that, possibly as a result of the low metallicity, the
H2O emission probably occurs near or within the dust formation radius, rather
than further out as appears to be the case in NML Cyg and galactic OH/IR stars.
