Pipeline explosion near Houston erupts in a towering flame, forcing evacuations DEER PARK, Texas (AP) — A pipeline explosion near Houston erupted in a towering flame over neighborhoods for hours on Monday, forcing evacuations and shelter orders and melting playground equipment as firefighters struggled to keep nearby homes from Juan A. Lozano, The Associated Press Sep 16, 2024 3:17 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message A pipeline carrying liquified natural gas burns near Spencer Highway and Summerton on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in La Porte, Texas.
(Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP) DEER PARK, Texas (AP) — A pipeline explosion near Houston erupted in a towering flame over neighborhoods for hours on Monday, forcing evacuations and shelter orders and melting playground equipment as firefighters struggled to keep nearby homes from burning. Operators shut off the flow of natural gas liquids, but so much remained in the 20-inch (51-centimeter) pipeline that firefighters could do nothing but watch and hose down adjacent homes until it burns itself out. That could take hours, perhaps into Tuesday, Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton Jr.
said. “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 said. Local authorities would not speculate about the cause of the fire and what role a burned car near the sour.