LA PORTE, Texas — Firefighters battled a massive pipeline fire in a Houston suburb on Monday that caused grass fires and flaming power poles. Residents had to be evacuated as a huge plume of flame shot high into the sky.
The fire started at 9:55 a.m. in La Porte, about 25 miles southwest of Houston.
La Porte City Clerk Lee Woodward told KTRK-TV they don’t yet know what is flowing through the pipeline or how it will be shut off.
Video footage from KTRK showed a park near the fire was damaged and firefighters poured water on neighboring homes. Several businesses were also nearby, including a Walmart.
Officials have ordered residents of the Brookglen neighborhood near the fire to evacuate, Lee Woodward, a spokesman for the city of La Porte, said in an email.
“Please avoid the area and follow the directions of law enforcement. Further details will be released as they become available,” Woodward said.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
There are several power lines near the fire. The website PowerOutage.us says nearly 4,700 customers are without power in Harris County.
CenterPoint Energy said it is monitoring the fire, which is located near Spencer Highway in LaPorte. The company said the fire “is not related to the company’s natural gas operations or equipment.”
“We are also working with first responders. Safety is paramount, the public should avoid this area until further notice from local emergency services. When it is safe to do so, our electrical crews will be in the area to assess damage to our transmission and distribution lines, poles and equipment and restore service to affected customers as safely and quickly as possible.”