- Title: "I am scared for an explosion:" Texas pipeline fire puts residents on high alert
- Date: 17th September 2024
- Summary: LA PORTE, TEXAS, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 17, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PIPELINE FIRE BURNING AND CREWS WORKING (SOUNDBITE)(English) YANNELI OCAMPO, 20-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT FROM PASADENA, TEXAS, SAYING: “Living here, you know what you’re getting into. You know the air quality isn’t going to be great. So, but explosion, yes, I am scared for an explosion. Not scared, bu
- Embargoed: 1st October 2024 20:24
- Keywords: air quality fire la porte texas natural gas explosion pipeline fire texas
- Location: LA PORTE, TEXAS, UNITED STATES
- City: LA PORTE, TEXAS, UNITED STATES
- Country: US
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires,North America
- Reuters ID: LVA001485517092024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Energy Transfer said a fire at its natural gas liquid pipeline in La Porte, Texas, which started on Monday (September 16), was continuing to burn itself out on Tuesday (September 17) morning.
The massive fire on Monday morning knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses and prompted a widespread evacuation of the area, but there were no serious injuries reported and the pipeline was isolated by midday for residual product to burn off.
Parked at a gas station a few blocks from the fire on Tuesday, 20-year-old Yanneli Ocampo, a student at nearby San Jacinto College, said people in the area don’t expect stellar air quality but the fear of an explosion is real.
“Yes, I am scared for an explosion,” Ocampo aid. “I’m a welding student at San Jac, so we were even more concerned about the electricity and the gas and everything, just, it’s very easy to go up in flames.”
Stephen Oliver, a 75-year-old retired plantworker from the area, said he’s experienced small plant explosions in the past.
“Oh, it could’ve been pretty bad if it set off more explosions, which, fortunately, it didn’t,” Oliver said. “That’s just something that happens and it’s something, you know, we put up with.”
The Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the state's oil and gas industry, said it was investigating what caused the fire.
About 1,500 CenterPoint Energy customers were without power on Tuesday, after about 5,000 customers were initially affected, according to the company's website.
Impacted land owners were being taken care of and have been provided with lodging at area hotels, Energy Transfer said, adding that this will continue until evacuation orders are lifted.
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