Fire Still Burning After Massive Pipeline Explosion in Houston

A fire in Houston, Texas, has continued to burn this week following a large pipeline explosion, prompting widespread evacuations and emergency response.
As of Tuesday morning, the flames had appeared to subside, but the fire continued to burn. It was first ignited after a pipeline explosion caused by a vehicle that drove through a fence and hit an aboveground valve.
“The fire continues to burn itself out this morning, which is the safest way to manage the incident. Air quality monitoring continues to show no impact to air quality,” the city of Deer Park in Texas wrote in a statement on Facebook.
“Law enforcement agencies have initiated an investigation into the cause of the incident. We continue to work closely with local authorities to safely manage the response and cooperate in the investigation. We want to thank all the emergency response teams for their ongoing efforts to safely manage the response to this incident.”
In an earlier statement on Tuesday morning, the City of Deer Park said, “Progress has been made as first responder crews worked through the night. The fire is significantly smaller.”
City officials reported that investigations by local police and FBI agents have uncovered no initial evidence indicating a coordinated or terrorist attack. Authorities said the event “appears to be an isolated incident.”
The investigation focused on uncovering details about the driver of a vehicle destroyed in the pipeline explosion, which unleashed flames that scorched the surrounding area, severed nearby power lines, and ignited homes some distance away.
No updates on the driver’s condition were released by police as of Tuesday morning.
Almost 1,000 homes were evacuated near the fire, and schools were used in initial shelter orders. The City of La Porte announced a slight reduction in the evacuation zone south of the pipeline fire, though officials did not specify how many residents were impacted.
The City of Deer Park also said in its statement that Energy Transfer, the pipeline owner, expects the fire to burn itself out in the next few days.
Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton Jr. described the intense heat radiating from the fire, which has burned for nearly 24 hours, as ladder trucks sprayed water over homes from above in an effort to contain the flames.
Firefighters were first called out Monday morning following an explosion at a valve station in Deer Park, near La Porte, which shook nearby homes and businesses, including a Walmart. According to Deer Park officials, the blast occurred when an SUV crashed through a fence next to the Walmart parking lot and struck the valve.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.