When will the pipeline fire on border of La Porte and Deer Park finally go out? Here’s what we know

By Courtney Fischer

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    DEER PARK, Texas (KTRK) — The timeline has been pushed back yet again for an ongoing pipeline fire on the border of Deer Park and La Porte to finally burn itself out, with officials now saying it may happen Wednesday.

The fire ignited around 10 a.m. Monday after a vehicle crashed into an above-ground pipeline valve off Spencer Highway, according to investigators.

Officials thought it would have burned out Tuesday, but it’s still going.

Harris County Judge Linda Hidalgo said once the fire is out, first responders will try to re-ignite the site to burn off any remaining product.

In an update on Tuesday morning, the Deer Park Office of Emergency Management said the fire is significantly smaller.

Energy Transfer, the company that owns the pipeline, said air quality monitoring continues to show no impact to air quality.

According to Hidalgo’s office, there’s no immediate risk for healthy people, adding that Harris County Pollution Control has been testing the air around the fire.

At first, there were elevated readings which caused concern, but officials said new data shows that initial equipment used to test was faulty. Still, if you’re a senior, pregnant, or have chronic health issues, you’re being advised to stay inside.

Authorities believe the driver of a white SUV drove through a fence on the west side of the nearby Walmart parking lot in the 9000 block of Spencer Highway, hitting the pipeline valve.

Witnesses told ABC13 that when the SUV hit the gas pipeline valve, it went airborne, then came the flames.

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