🚨There are no shelter-in-place or evacuation orders for any portion of the City of Houston. At this time, HFD reports there are no air quality concerns for the City of Houston as a result of the Deer Park/La Porte are pipeline fire. @HoustonFire is providing mutual aid,… pic.twitter.com/ndcV271JKg
— City of Houston (@HoustonTX) September 16, 2024
A massive pipeline fire that forced hundreds of people to flee their homes in the Houston suburbs has been burning for a third day. Officials do not expect the fire to be extinguished until sometime Thursday evening. Residents who had to evacuate will be allowed to return to their homes starting Wednesday evening.
@HoustonFire is providing mutual aid for the Deerpark pipeline fire. We currently have approximately 14 units on scene. Please avoid the area due to heavy emergency traffic. @HFDChiefMunoz pic.twitter.com/gKR1sqphwH
— Houston Fire Dept (@HoustonFire) September 16, 2024
There are few details yet about what prompted the driver of an SUV to hit an aboveground valve on the pipeline on Monday, sparking the blaze. The underground pipeline was damaged when the SUV driver left a parking lot, entered a grassy area, and went through a fence surrounding the valve equipment. Authorities have offered few details about the SUV driver or what happened to them.
I am grateful to the first responders who have been working hard to put out this pipeline fire in Deer Park and keeping folks safe. My prayers are with Texans impacted by the blast. https://t.co/NXoloLVqKe
— Colin Allred (@ColinAllredTX) September 17, 2024
Energy Transfer, the pipeline company, has called it an accident and initial investigations by police and FBI agents found no evidence of a terrorist attack. Deer Park police have stated they will not be able to reach the burned-out vehicle until the flames are extinguished. The investigation will continue once the area is safe.
Energy Transfer, a Dallas-based company, owns the 20-inch-wide pipeline, which runs through the Houston area. The pipeline carries natural gas liquids through the suburbs of Deer Park and La Porte.
Pipeline fire impacts Deer Park residents
The company stated the fire had diminished overnight and was continuing to “safely burn itself out” on Wednesday. Crews are working to install specialized isolation equipment on both sides of the damaged section to help extinguish the fire. Once installed, the section will be purged with nitrogen, which will extinguish the fire.
This process involves several hours of welding and repair of damaged components. Energy Transfer indicated that the safest way to manage this process is to let the product burn off. Deer Park officials said repair work to help speed up the process to put out the fire is not expected to be completed until 6 p.m. on Thursday, and the fire should be extinguished within two to three hours after that.
Nearly 1,000 homes were evacuated, and people in nearby schools were ordered to shelter in place. Residents in Deer Park and La Porte will be allowed to return home starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. A portion of a highway near the pipeline remains closed.
Hundreds of customers lost power, but only two customers remained without electricity by Wednesday afternoon. Repairs to all power lines affected by the fire had been completed. Deer Park stated that Energy Transfer is prioritizing community and environmental safety as it works to manage the situation.
