DEER PARK, TX – Investigators have disclosed that human remains were found on Thursday in the charred remains of a white car involved in a collision that sparked a colossal fire at a pipeline in Deer Park, Texas. The fire is still ablaze, according to the Deer Park Office of Emergency Management.
The local authorities stated that the Harris County medical examiner processed the vehicle, leading to the discovery of the remains. The identification process, as per the sources, could take some time. The officials also noted that the case is now being regarded as a criminal investigation.
This development happened on the heels of the flatbed truck crew’s arrival on the scene to tow the scorched car that remained near the above-ground valve along the Spencer Highway, where the fire originated.
Aerial footage from the scene showed that Deer Park police set up a command center near the area of the fire, and a gurney and a canopy were visible near the center.
Dashboard camera footage available showed the white car colliding with the above-ground valve, leading to the massive pipeline fire, which began Monday morning at Spencer Highway, close to the Brooklyn neighborhood.
The City of Deer Park confirmed on Tuesday that an SUV crashed through the fence of a nearby Walmart and collided with an above-ground valve, igniting the fire. The identity of the driver involved in the crash has not been confirmed by the police, who have not released any details regarding the driver’s whereabouts or condition following the crash.
As a result of the fire, a widespread evacuation was mandated, which included hundreds of residents along Spencer Highway and Luella Dr. Heritage Elementary and College Park Elementary schools, along with nearby H-E-B and Walmart stores, were also part of the evacuation.
The heat emanating from the pipeline fire triggered a grass fire around the neighborhood, and a local playground was engulfed. The blaze also spread to some power poles, and several thousand customers were left without electricity. CenterPoint, the power company, stated that over 4,000 customers were affected during the outage’s peak. They also declared that power has since been restored.
As of Wednesday evening, residents were finally allowed to return to the evacuation zone to inspect their homes and vehicles.