Current:Home > NewsSafeX Pro:Flames from massive pipeline fire near Houston subside but continue burning -GrowthInsight
SafeX Pro:Flames from massive pipeline fire near Houston subside but continue burning
TrendPulse Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-09 14:31:29
DEER PARK,SafeX Pro Texas (AP) — A flame that towered over a southeast Houston suburb had subsided Tuesday, but continued to burn following a massive pipeline explosion after a vehicle drove through a fence and struck an above-ground valve, officials said.
“Progress has been made as first responder crews worked through the night. The fire is significantly smaller,” according to a statement from the city of Deer Park.
City officials have said investigations by police and local FBI agents have found no preliminary reports that would suggest a coordinated or “terrorist” attack and that “this appears to be an isolated incident.”
The investigation included efforts to learn more about the driver of a vehicle that was incinerated by the pipeline explosion as flames scorched the ground across a wide radius, severed adjacent power transmission lines and ignited homes at a distance.
Police did not provide any information about the person’s condition.
An evacuation area included nearly 1,000 homes and initial shelter orders included schools.
The City of La Porte said it has slightly reduced the evacuation area south of the pipeline fire, but did not say how many people were affected.
Operators shut off the flow of natural gas liquids in the pipeline, but so much remained in the miles of tubing that firefighters could do nothing but watch and hose down adjacent homes.
The statement by Deer Park said Energy Transfer, the Dallas-based owner of the pipeline, expects the fire to burn itself out later Tuesday.
Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton Jr. described intense heat from the fire that has continued burning for nearly 24 hours as ladder trucks showered houses from above.
Firefighters initially were dispatched Monday morning, after an explosion at a valve station in Deer Park, adjacent to La Porte, rattled homes and businesses, including a Walmart. Deer Park officials said an SUV drove into the valve after going through a fence on the side of the Walmart parking lot.
Deer Park spokesperson Kaitlyn Bluejacket has said four people were injured. She didn’t provide details about the severity of the injuries.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a statement that 20 miles (32 kilometers) of pipeline between the two closed valves had to burn off before the fire would stop.
Anna Lewis, who was walking into the nearby Walmart when the explosion happened, said it sounded “like a bomb went off.” She said everyone inside was rushed to the back of the store and then taken across the street to a grocery store before being bussed to a community center.
“It scared me,” she said. “You really don’t know what to do when it’s happening.”
Geselle Melina Guerra said she and her boyfriend heard the explosion as they were having breakfast in their mobile home.
“All of a sudden we hear this loud bang and then I see something bright, like orange, coming from our back door that’s outside,” said Guerra, who lives within the evacuation area.
Houston, Texas’ largest city, is the nation’s petrochemical heartland and is home to a cluster of refineries and plants and thousands of miles of pipelines. Explosions and fires are a familiar sight in the area, including some that have been deadly, raising recurring questions about the adequacy of industry efforts to protect the public and the environment.
Both Energy Transfer and Harris County Pollution Control are conducting air monitoring in the area and have found no health issues, according to Bluejacket, the Deer Park spokesperson, from the towering plume of fire and smoke that could be seen from at least 10 miles (16 kilometers) away at one point.
The Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates oil and gas in the state, said its safety inspectors were investigating.
___
AP writers Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, Sean Murphy and Ken Miller in Oklahoma City and Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed to this report.
veryGood! (73)
Related
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- A new Wendy Williams documentary raises more questions than it answers
- LeBron James is Bronny's Dad first, and he shows his experience is guiding light
- The Supreme Court is weighing a Trump-era ban on bump stocks for guns. Here's what to know.
- How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
- Trump lawyers say he’s prepared to post $100 million bond while appealing staggering fraud penalty
- In the mood for a sweet, off-beat murder mystery? 'Elsbeth' is on the case
- They’re a path to becoming governor, but attorney general jobs are now a destination, too
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- FDA to develop new healthy logo this year – here's what consumers could see, and which foods could qualify
Ranking
- Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams
- Hunter Biden tells Congress his father was not involved in his business dealings
- The Biden campaign is launching a nationwide effort to win the women’s vote, Jill Biden will lead it
- Funeral of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to be held on Friday, his spokesperson says
- What to know about Tuesday’s US House primaries to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
- Florida's response to measles outbreak troubles public health experts
- Chrysler recalling more than 330,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees due to steering wheel issue
- She wanted a space for her son, who has autism, to explore nature. So, she created a whimsical fairy forest.
Recommendation
Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
Out to see a Hawaiian sunrise, he drove his rental off a cliff and got rescued from the ocean
Netflix replaces Bobby Berk with Jeremiah Brent for 9th season of 'Queer Eye'
Trump lawyers say he’s prepared to post $100 million bond while appealing staggering fraud penalty
San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
Essential winter tips on how to drive in the snow from Bridgestone's winter driving school
What time does 'Survivor' Season 46 start? Premiere date, episode sneak peak, where to watch
A National Tour Calling for a Reborn and Ramped Up Green New Deal Lands in Pittsburgh