Authorities near Houston have discovered human remains inside an SUV that collided with an aboveground valve on a pipeline, leading to a massive fire that burned for four days before being extinguished on Thursday night. The incident occurred in Deer Park, where the white SUV hit the pipeline, causing damage that resulted in the fire. After the fire had reduced in size, investigators were able to access the area and remove the vehicle on Thursday morning. Harris County medical examiners recovered the human remains from the SUV, initiating the identification process, which officials noted will take some time.

The underground pipeline, owned by Dallas-based Energy Transfer, runs through the Houston area and suffered damage as a result of the collision with the SUV. Although authorities have not provided many details regarding the cause of the crash, Energy Transfer has labeled the incident as an accident. Preliminary investigations conducted by police and FBI agents did not indicate any signs of a terrorist attack. The pipeline carries natural gas liquids through Deer Park and La Porte and was protected by a chain-link fence topped with barbed wire.

Following the explosion, which forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 homes and resulted in damaged properties, residents were permitted to return to their homes on Wednesday evening. Some residents, like Diane and Steve Hutto, are facing significant property damage and uncertainty about their living situation. Despite reassurances about pipeline safety from experts like Brigham McCown, the Hutto family and others affected by the incident are left grappling with the sudden destruction caused by the pipeline fire. Efforts to assess the damage and ensure the safety of the surrounding area are ongoing, with a portion of a nearby highway remaining closed at this time.