Human Remains Discovered in SUV Linked to Texas Pipeline Fire

Authorities in Deer Park, Texas, have reported the discovery of human remains inside an SUV that collided with a valve on an underground pipeline. The incident triggered a fire that has been burning since Monday, now reduced significantly in size.

The SUV was towed away from the site on Thursday morning after police were able to access the area around the pipeline. The Harris County medical examiners retrieved the human remains while processing the vehicle. Officials stated that they will begin the identification process, which may take some time.

The incident occurred when the SUV’s driver exited the parking lot of a Walmart nearby, veering into a grassy area and crashing through a fence that surrounds the valve equipment. However, authorities have not disclosed additional details regarding the cause of the crash.

Energy Transfer, the company responsible for the pipeline, characterized the incident as an accident. Preliminary investigations conducted by local police and the FBI indicate no signs of a terrorist attack. The damaged line is a 20-inch diameter pipeline that transports natural gas liquids through the Houston area, affecting Deer Park and La Porte.

The valve rig was reportedly protected by a chain-link fence lined with barbed wire. Energy Transfer has not clarified whether any further safety measures were in place. Officials predict that the fire will be extinguished by Thursday evening.

As a safety precaution, authorities evacuated nearly 1,000 homes and instructed local schools to keep students sheltered indoors. Residents were allowed back to their homes by Wednesday evening, though some faced significant damage. Affected homeowners, like Diane and Steve Hutto, expressed their distress; their home has been declared unlivable due to extensive fire and water damage from first responders combating the flames.

Diane Hutto recounted her experience, saying, “I thought it was a nuclear bomb. I fell out of the chair, the dogs were already out the door trying to get out.” The couple is now uncertain about their next steps, emphasizing the work and effort put into their once-secure home.

Interestingly, a second pipeline lies approximately 100 yards from the damaged one, similarly protected only by a chain-link fence. Brigham McCown, former administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, highlighted the extensive network of pipelines in the United States, totaling over three million miles—more than in any other country. He pointed out that rigorous safety regulations exist, suggesting that incidents like this are exceptionally rare.

“You are more likely to be struck by lightning twice and win the Powerball than you are to suffer a fatal accident from a pipeline,” McCown remarked. Yet, for the Hutto family, such statistics offer little comfort. Steve Hutto expressed his grief over the sudden loss of their home: “You work all this time to make your house what you want it, and in the blink of an eye, it’s gone.”

Meanwhile, a section of the nearby highway remains closed as a precautionary measure. Despite the visible plume of black smoke that billowed high into the sky at the fire’s outset, air quality monitoring conducted by Energy Transfer and local officials indicated no immediate risks to the public.

As the investigation continues, the community is left to grapple with the aftermath of this tragic event while authorities ensure the safety of the surrounding area.

Source: CBS News