Pipe Fire Near Houston Forces Residents to Evacuate

Firefighters in the Houston suburb of La Porte were working to extinguish a pipeline fire that forced residents to evacuate some areas.

The blast occurred at a valve station on a 20-inch (51-centimeter) pipeline operated by Energy Transfer LP, the company said in a statement. The line, which transports natural gas liquids, “has been isolated so that the residual product in the line can safely burn itself out,” with the evacuation area reduced as of Monday evening local time.

Energy Transfer shares fell as much as 1.3% on the news.

The city’s fire department was dispatched to the fire at 9:55 a.m. on the same day, and while no injuries were reported, residents were cleared from the area, a spokesperson for the city said in an interview.

La Porte — located in the bay area about 26 miles east of Houston — has the largest concentration of chemical plants in the world, with the city being home to nearly 50 plants, two ports and thousands of miles of pipelines.

Valves to the affected pipeline segment have been closed, but 20 miles worth of gas within the lines must burn off before the fire stops, according to statement from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, an administrative position in the county that includes Houston.

According to the statement, CenterPoint Energy is working to restore power to nearby homes affected by the incident.

Natural gas liquids are components of natural gas that can include ethane, propane, butane and natural gasoline, used for home heating and the creation of plastics.

Nearby San Jacinto College’s central campus issued a shelter-in-place order and closed the site for the remainder of the day.

The Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates pipelines in the state, said it is investigating the incident.