The cause of the Houston pipeline explosion and fire has been identified, according to authorities who have ruled out terroristic activity.
Officials say the pipeline fire in Deer Park, Texas, persisted on Tuesday.
On Monday, a vehicle drove through a fence and struck an above-ground valve, causing a massive pipeline explosion that sent a pillar of flame into the sky. Authorities stated that the incident was not related to terrorism.
Officials in Deer Park stated that the police and local FBI agents found no evidence of a coordinated or "terrorist" attack on the liquefied natural gas pipeline, adding that it appears to be an isolated incident.
KTRK-TV was informed by Sherry and Chad Richard that the SUV caught their attention because the car was moving so slowly before it suddenly veered off.
Sherry Richard informed the station that the vehicle crashed into the valve after going through a fence, resulting in a loud explosion and flames everywhere.
KTRK reported that Chad Richard initially believed the driver experienced a medical emergency due to the SUV "drifting" and "not going that fast" until after passing the fence.
"Chad Richard told KTRK that he initially thought the car had a heart attack and drifted over there because it wasn't going that fast. However, once it passed the fence, it accelerated."
The blast destroyed the vehicle and caused flames to spread over a large area, damaging nearby power lines and setting fire to homes. Over 900 people were evacuated and took refuge in schools.
No information about the driver's identity or condition was immediately provided by the police.
The tower of flame illuminated the sky for over 12 hours. Mayor Jerry Mouton Jr. of Deer Park stated that the ladder trucks drenched homes in the area with water from above due to the extreme heat.
Despite putting a lot of water on them, many of the house structures adjacent to the one in question are still catching on fire, Mouton stated during an afternoon news conference.
The city of Deer Park announced on Tuesday morning that the spouting flame had ceased, but the fire persisted.
First responder crews have made progress as they worked through the night to reduce the size of the fire.
Harris County Pollution Control stated on Monday afternoon that no volatile organic compounds were detected. The statement added that the particulate matter from the smoke was moderate and not an immediate risk to healthy people, but "sensitive populations may want to take precautions." The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is also monitoring the air.
Energy Transfer, the pipeline's owner, stated that air monitoring equipment was being set up near the fire and smoke plume, which could be seen from at least 10 miles away at one point.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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