A pipeline fire in a suburban Houston neighborhood continued to burn for a second day on Wednesday, leaving residents unable to return home. The fire, which erupted on Monday, was still being contained by authorities, but the cause of the explosion remained unclear.
The blast occurred after a car drove through a fence and hit an above-ground valve, leading to the destructive explosion that scorched the ground, severed power lines, and caused evacuations of nearly 1,000 homes at one point. Authorities have not identified the driver of the car or provided details about what happened to them.
Despite the fire getting smaller, residents were still unable to return home, and frustration was growing among locals who were forced to leave with only the clothes on their backs and their pets. The fire was being contained, but officials were still working on ensuring the safety of the area before residents could return.
Energy Transfer, the company that owns the pipeline, was taking precautions to isolate parts of the pipeline closest to the fire to prevent further incidents. Despite the disruption caused by the pipeline fire, no health issues were reported from the air monitoring conducted by authorities.
Overall, the incident highlighted the dangers of living near pipelines in an area known for its petrochemical industry. Moving forward, residents were eager to return home and officials were working to ensure the safety of the area before allowing them back.
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