Officials: Pipeline fire erupts in La Porte after SUV strikes valve
(UI) — A pipeline fire that began in Deer Park quickly spread across Spencer Highway into La Porte on Sept. 16, prompting evacuations and a large emergency response, according to ABC13. The fire ignited in Deer Park and moved southward under Spencer Highway, which serves as a boundary between Deer Park and La Porte.
The blaze caused several smaller grass fires, which emergency crews worked to contain. According to property records obtained by ABC13, the affected area is located on or near land owned by CenterPoint Energy. However, the company clarified that the fire is unrelated to their natural gas operations or equipment.
"CenterPoint Energy is monitoring the incident on Spencer Highway in LaPorte, which is unrelated to the company's natural gas operations or equipment. We are also cooperating with first responders. Putting safety first, the public should avoid this area until further notice from local emergency officials. When it is safe to do so, our electric crews will go into the area to assess the damage to our transmission and distribution power lines, poles and equipment and begin restoring service to impacted customers as safely and quickly as possible," CenterPoint told ABC13 in a statement.
In response to the incident, the Railroad Commission of Texas dispatched pipeline safety inspectors to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire. Harris County authorities reported that about 7,000 customers in Deer Park experienced power outages as a result of the fire, although the number of affected customers fluctuated throughout the day.
Coastal Industrial Water Authority, which owns an adjacent property, confirmed to ABC13 that their operations were not involved in the fire. La Porte officials noted that the fire department responded to the incident around 9:55 a.m. on Sept. 16 in the 8700 block of Spencer Highway. Multiple agencies, including the Deer Park Office of Emergency Management and La Porte emergency teams, are collaborating to manage the situation.
Authorities continue to monitor the fire and address the situation, urging residents to stay clear of the affected area until further updates are provided.
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