A pipeline fire erupted near Houston on Monday after a vehicle struck an above-ground valve in Deer Park, Texas, igniting a blaze that has raged for hours. No evidence of terrorism has been found, and authorities believe it to be an isolated incident that occurred after the driver drove through a fence. The fire, which melted nearby playground equipment and forced evacuations, could continue burning until Tuesday, officials said.
The natural gas liquids pipeline, owned by Energy Transfer, was shut off, but the remaining gas in the 20-inch pipe fueled the intense flames. Over 1,000 homes were evacuated, and local schools were put on shelter-in-place orders. Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton Jr. expressed concerns about the fire's heat. "The fire, it's very hot, so a lot of the house structures that are adjacent to that are still catching on fire even though we're putting a lot of water on them," Mouton noted.
Energy Transfer has deployed air monitoring equipment, reporting no volatile organic compounds but warning that sensitive populations should take precautions. Environmental impact remains a concern, with Ramanan Krishnamoorti, a petroleum engineering professor, stating that the fire is likely releasing soot and organic materials into the environment. Despite this, he recommended letting the fire burn out naturally to minimize volatile organic emissions. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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