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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Evacuations ordered after Texas gas pipeline explodes
2024-09-17
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] An evacuation order has been issued after a pipeline in a Texas city burst into flames.

The fire started just before 10am in La Porte, which is located around 25 miles southwest of Houston.

The company that owns the pipe, Energy Transfer, has since confirmed it is a natural gas line which they have now isolated so it can burn itself out.

According to the company they had been made aware that an unknown vehicle had struck a valve at the pipe, which they believe may have caused the fire.

Dramatic images captured at the scene show an extremely large jet of fire burning high in the sky, blanketing the area in thick black smoke.

Other images captured at the scene show the damage caused to the nearby area, with one picture showing a burnt out car.

The company said in a statement: 'We experienced an incident this morning in La Porte, Texas, at a valve station along Spencer Highway for a 20" natural gas liquids line that resulted in a fire.

'There are no reports of injuries at this time. The LaPorte Fire Department is on the scene and has evacuated all homes and businesses within a half mile of the incident site.

'The line has been isolated so that the residual product in the line can safely burn itself out.

'We have no timeline at this point on how long that process will take, but we are working closely with local authorities.

'We are aware of early reports indicating that an unknown passenger car entered our right-of-way and struck the value location.

'Air monitoring equipment is in the process of being set up in the area. We will continue to release details as they become available.'

Due to the fire, nearby Spencer Highway has been closed in both directions and neighboring roads have blocked off to traffic.

Evacuations have also been ordered for the Brookglen neighborhood area, with San Jacinto College issuing a shelter-in-place order.

In a post to social media, the college said: 'SJC Central remains under shelter in place. No fire on campus.

'Emergency responders are on site. A shelter in place will remain for the San Jacinto College Central Campus until all clear is provided.'
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Posted by:Skidmark

#3  SUV Strikes Gas Valve in Texas Causing Massive Fire -- Driver's Intention Unclear
Posted by: Skidmark   2024-09-17 12:35  

#2  A liquids line that carried a mix of natural gasoline, propane, butane, hexane, and everything in between.
It's common for crude refiners to 'batch group' their products in separation, rather than go for exact products. They then send the batches on to secondary fraction distillers who take the mix down as far in final purity as wanted.
(This concept in refining was actually created by John D Rockefeller, ie there's always something else in the mix, 'safety kerosene'.)
As to the event, witnessess said an SUV with and 'elderly looking' individual was driving erratically in the Wal Mart parking lot, went through the bushes, down the hill, through the fence, and kaboom. (Just another day at Wally World.)
Posted by: ed in texas   2024-09-17 08:45  

#1  20" natural gas liquids line

Izzat liquefied natural gas (LPG) or just gaseous natural gas?
Posted by: Bobby   2024-09-17 08:04  

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