Couple witnesses crash that ignited pipeline: 'Car goes up in the air'

A couple looking for parking at a Deer Park Walmart witnessed a driver crashing into a pipeline valve, causing a vehicle to go airborne.

[@dhoffman4955]

This might be a good time to build barriers around other valves.

[@sandasturner9529]

Worldwide, even

[@Dhern0115]

Is a fence not a barrier? 🙄

[@Denniss7420]

@@Dhern0115 No

[@Urbicide]

It sure does seem like it. Build barriers around bridge piers too.

[@alancadieux2984]

The real question is: what is the reason that it was not already done.

[@alanrobert3]

Why weren't bollards installed around the gas fixture? This is a huge oversight that could have been prevented.

[@Urbicide]

Like the Francis Scott Key bridge in Maryland?

[@hustlecrowe9440]

There's no regulation on gas companies in texas when it comes to public safety LOL

[@justmeowth9697]

Even a giant piece of rock could at least deter a crash.

[@AnthonyLagunas-yv6br]

How about a 100 ft tall wall.

[@PhantomRiver]

Reporter looks 8-feet tall when interviewing the guy @ 0:40.

[@whataboutbob7967]

He's only 3ft tall

[@crescentmoon6029]

Lol at first I thought it was just the angle but he's really looking up at her.

[@dwightropp3014]

Haha, true that! The giant female reporters have arrived! More than likely, though, she was standing on a higher level of ground.

[@hybridfc9768]

Holy shit Houston looks like it's in complete chaos all over the news channels today

[@bride4jesus0126]

Order Ab Chao

[@mariantreber8055]

It's in a town called La Porte. Houston Is a mess every day.

[@AbelG8781]

Lmao ​@@bride4jesus0126

[@rnhim2072]

Houston is complete chaos everyday.

[@rrf6747]

10-4 it's a sh.. hole here

[@RedMartin66]

Wow, whoever designed that should be fired. A chain-link barrier to protect a major gas line. What an idiot.

[@quicksandsavior]

They are called barriers, they are quite useful.

[@bitcoindaddy1]

at least mainstream media didn't blame an EV.

[@Austin8thGenTexan]

​@@bitcoindaddy1 This is _mainstream media_ that you're watching and commenting on. (Not FOX goofball news) What would matter if it was an EV ? Am so tired of politicizing everything !

[@bitcoindaddy1]

Yes that’s what I’m trying to get at..there’s this war on EV and tech has turned into political topics.

[@bitcoindaddy1]

I own bitcoin , I owned and have multiple tesla and I managed cloud AI data center. All mainstream media is garbage include left and right

[@50AE1313]

No barriers around all that. Wtf!

[@RC-qf6wr]

Just a chain link fence and a unfortunate accident ( also unfortunate for the person and family) caused all this damage and $$$$ when a crash proof barrier could have been built ( not a big area- hell that burned park is much bigger and I'm sure cost alot more than a sturdy barrier)

[@Crismodin]

Welcome to the USA.

[@johnnyrehder2153]

Wonder if the company will put up better barriers around the pipes?? Duh!

[@Urbicide]

Did you see how fast the SUV was traveling when it hit the fence & shutoff valve?

[@Javier-u8p]

The ATM machine in my hood has a cement barrier, and it's inside the store.

[@Denniss7420]

💯

[@melvinwren]

that ATM had money inside of it, and isnt going to explode and kill you when you impact it.

[@Javier-u8p]

@@melvinwren but the owner will explode.

[@flutetubamorg]

They never mention what happened to the driver. I guess they are still in the vehicle?

[@briansmyla8696]

Probably. Meat falling off the bone by now.

[@JonBrase]

I doubt this was a survivable accident.

[@kimyoung3484]

😢😢😢

[@perrymason4208]

What an absolute mess.

[@ForNika]

Major fines for pipeline corporation for not installing protection around the pipeline. Greedy Incompetent Oil and Gas Industry with their corrupt bribed politicians.

[@chaos0852]

What’s a ouild?

[@rrf6747]

They had a fence around it

[@leohorishny9561]

Just Greg Abbott and the GOP fighting to keep needless “regulations” off business. Nothing to see here, it’ll go back to chain link after all is said and done.🤷🏼‍♂️

[@DangardsBrain]

​@@chaos0852 I could be wrong, but I think that's another term for peanut butter.

[@Denniss7420]

@@rrf6747 Need K rails or bollards. A chain link fence????

[@AlienTakeover24]

This is so heartbreaking 😢Unbelievable something like this could happen please Investigate!!!!

[@tazmod7272]

Either that guy is real short or the reporter is real tall.

[@briansmyla8696]

lol I noticed that too.

[@viciousKev]

@tazmod7272 i know him hes only 37" tall

[@georgeeharrison4293]

Just look her up, she is 5 feet 6 inches tall

[@badgercdlyons]

@@georgeeharrison4293 He certainly looked her up.

[@tammygarcia2340]

Or both

[@RAMelloh-ij5sl]

Automatic shut off valves upon sudden pressure drop? Hello?

[@thataintit2133]

too much money

[@URxTRASHx420]

To dangerous under ground explosion would happen if you got automatic valves

[@Crismodin]

"If it's not required, we're not doing it" - 99% of companies in the USA.

[@woodyliu2242]

@@Crismodin Actually, it is more than that. The companies lobby（=bribe?) to keep minimal requirement.

[@redbarchetta8782]

How about saying something constructively true instead of mindlessly false? Here are facts. "It takes 17 hours to reduce the pipe pressure to atmospheric pressure with venting at one end of the pipe."

[@Vera-td6ku]

A little old lady. That is soo sad. She was probably having a medical issue. With the way the car sped up she lost conscience and her foot got heavier on the gas pedal then. 😢

[@rj-zz8im]

Well, sure would be easy to do this again if someone wanted to...perhaps, just perhaps the chainlink fence isn't the safest barrier. Maybe if they put a sign up, that would surely keep out wayward vehicles.

[@siennavanlife9502]

If the person behind the wheel was in distress and unable to stop before hitting the terminal, barriers would have not only saved the pipeline but possibly her life.

[@kkirsch3583]

Just put up a sign that says “Don’t!”😂

[@HomesickforAlaska]

A "Car Free Zone" sign should prevent this from ever happening again.

[@Susieq26754]

Houston, we have a problem.

[@markh3279]

Nice safety barriers Texass

[@CJinsoo]

elderly and teen drivers are similar in that they have highest rate of confusing gas and brake pedals.

[@TomSmith-ls5rn]

And Asians...

[@Urbicide]

They are having that same problem in Springfield, Ohio, concerning dyslexic pedal operation.

[@melvinwren]

where u get these stats? or we just making shit up?

[@TomSmith-ls5rn]

@@Urbicide You mean Haitians

[@masonite1973]

And females

[@Clutch275]

guess they need more valves to shut of the supply of gas to that valve... REDUNDANCY FAIL on the GAS Company.

[@lindaGplaylist]

Now we will hear about the green effort which Kamala is support. What a coincidence

[@willieloomis5958]

I looked up the reporter, and she is 5' 6". I thought she might be really tall.

[@damham5689]

I have full confidence that big oil will fully use this as an excuse to raise gas prices.

[@ANIMALSOUL70]

No barriers???????😮😮😮😮😮😮😮For protect valve? Very danger

[@DCGreenZone]

What a few steel posts concreted in around it cost, less than that.

[@ValisX]

This is the third news story I’ve seen this year of a senior citizen driving into something….this is the only one that didn’t have mass fatalities.

[@blossom30x4]

It will later. They are all breathing all that air in.

[@melberry7611]

There needs to have bollards installed around the sensitive and vulnerable electical, and natural gas equipment rather than a chain length fence to stop a vehicle.

[@QueafEater]

Turn it the F off

[@robaxl3088]

*Perfect example of greed….anyone that thought a chain link fence was good protection for a major oil line is definitely cutting costs to put money in their pocket*

[@richardstephens9647]

Driver may have had a medical emergency.. Poor woman.

[@cesarduenasduenas908]

Now that's how you make a point...

[@markbass7145]

Heart attack

[@joemomma3988]

Terrorism, suicide, medical emergency. Whatever happened looked really painful. RIP

[@bobbymoss6160]

Excuses..

[@miken.5537]

This event has received so much attention on social media. I wouldn't be surprised that this type of 'accident' starts occurring around the country now.

[@quicksandsavior]

Oh dear, the cat is out of the bag.

[@viciousKev]

Russian sleeper cell suv

[@bigcong7845]

​@@quicksandsavior "They're eating the dogs!They're eating the cats!"😮

[@Austin8thGenTexan]

It's a Democratic conspiracy! 😯 Cat had kittens? DEMOCRATS!

[@rrf6747]

The left hate their country to lazy to work to scared to steal.

[@redbarchetta8782]

Here are facts for those accusing the company who runs the pipeline of fowl play by not shutting it off. "It takes 17 hours to reduce the pipe pressure to atmospheric pressure with venting at one end of the pipe."

[@briansmyla8696]

This is a liquid product in this particular pipeline. I believe your quote is referring to a gaseous product. There is a difference.

[@sunshine3914]

@@briansmyla8696 I haven’t seen any reports that have identified what type of pipeline it is.

[@Urbicide]

@@sunshine3914 NG

[@carolynlewelling7970]

So sad for all involved

[@supervolcano-s8c]

That's what happens when you have a stroke.

[@bride4jesus0126]

Wtf won’t they just SHUT OFF THE GAS flow?! Simple. There are MULTIPLE VALVES

[@flutetubamorg]

They did shut the valves, residual pressure is burning off

[@thebigrich]

OMG I cant believe someone didn't think of that.

[@thekat9593]

Laid off the guy that knew where they are

[@Denniss7420]

@@flutetubamorg For 36 hours? It's still being fed.......

[@3dsmaxrocks699]

Well ....I woke up to get me a cold pop...

[@Denniss7420]

Why is it still being fed? Shut down the compressors. PG&E learned about this with the 2010 San Bruno explosion. They have plenty of isolation/diverter valves now.

[@FuriousStylez93]

It’s always something simple like that here in Texas. I’m guessing a lack of governmental or industry oversight allows power plant and pipeline owners to evade protective measures that prevent these sorts of incidents from happening. I’m a Houston resident now but I lived in Dallas during the blizzard of 2021 where hundreds of thousands of homes were without power for several weeks after the storm. After it was all over, it was determined that they failed to “weatherize” or weatherproof their equipment, a simple and relatively inexpensive process that would’ve avoided power loss to millions during one of the coldest nights of that year. Similar issue here in that, a simple concrete barrier, not a chain linked fence, surrounding the exposed area of the valve would’ve prevented this explosion and from what the local news is reporting, saved the life of whomever the driver of the vehicle that hit the pipeline was. There’s big money in Texas but apparently energy corporations prefer not to invest it in protecting pipeline and local infrastructure. Sad sad state of affairs, no pun intended.

[@alexalex13131]

Seems to be a case of confusing brake with gas pedal.

[@Austin8thGenTexan]

I'm guessing that there are no rails or concrete pillars around these exposed parts of the pipeline ? 🤔

[@SpanishBear1994]

Where that fire came from

[@kgraham5820]

It’s completely weird officials aren’t saying anything about the driver, nor their condition. I would assume dead, but maybe not.

[@paulpennington-mv7rt]

Facts seem to suggest that the driver is still in the SUV, and expired. Especially if elderly; reaction and recovery time would be poor. Even a recovery isn't possible yet with intense heat. Anything not steel within that vehicle, has been burnt and is gone. Bones too.

[@lucashedgespeth266]

Walmart surely has footage...

[@StarWarNerd]

Biden told fbi not to say it’s terrorism

[@janofb]

Better call Chance Buckman

[@SR-bh5jd]

Scramble John Wayne and the Hell Fighters.

[@canyoncruzr3462]

Wow....now that's a flippin' flame.

[@cardinalstar2048]

Electric vehicles are dangerous

[@MrHoustonmichael]

When near lives harden the valve so vehicle, backhoe etc does not hit it

[@alansmith4734]

Couple: It burns just like a Tesla!

[@Mr7141983]

You mean gas cars are no good too?

[@petrofsko]

What a great thumbnail looks like a fire giant with his two arms ready to throw something bad

[@occamsrazor7939]

APPEARED to be elderly.

[@woodyliu2242]

Is not the best way to get rid of "associated gas", since the gas is at the negative price? Otherwise, the gas companies have to pay customs to use their gas.

[@bradr2142]

How can they operate a pipeline with that kind of pressure thru a neighborhood. Why can't they shut it down?

[@sunshine3914]

We’re used to it.

[@RupertLaLageIV]

In addition to the possibility of a heart attack, a stroke, or some other incapacitation, whomever was driving the vehicle may have gotten the drive and reverse gears mixed up; if not, the car may have malfunctioned as in the case of a stuck accelerator. (The latter, by the way, happened to me once on a two-lane desert highway, in a fairly new pickup; it was a hairy ride past the shoulder, onto and into a barbed wire and mesquite fence before it bogged down in the caliche, stopping it.) My condolences are to the family of this person, and my empathy is for those who have lost property in this devastating situation.

[@microbios8586]

The transition to the live shot with the flame in the background was humorous

[@cesarsalgadosalgado2199]

If the driver ran through the fence and did it on purpose the driver should pay for all the damages caused including the homes

[@ultramagapatriot5874]

Are you fu$king kidding me?? Why isn't there barriers to protecting this?

[@gonzalogutierrez4748]

Did she made it alive ,,,

[@Urbicide]

No.

[@blipco5]

Ahh, the old "I hit the gas instead of the brake". Old people. 👍

[@leohorishny9561]

Not very secure, or hardened, that a car traveling at low speeds is able to collide with a major gas pipeline. 🤨

[@jennifer_ross_]

I haven’t seen any reports of what happened to the driver…

[@TAGSlays]

Man, that SUV gets horrible mileage.

[@Bitterrootbackroads]

Are we to assume the car ended up stopped on top of the broken valve! And was then hurled to its current location in the next second, or seconds, as the rapidly accumulating gas exploded?

[@Crismodin]

Huh? The car ran into it, explosion, car went up into air, came back down, that's it. Nothing more to it. Not hard to figure out.

[@briansmyla8696]

Pipeline expert who was interviewed said it's a liquid product in the line based on the way it is burning. I'm not convinced, but time will tell.

[@EntertheDragonChild]

I trust the FBI

[@markrouse2416]

I wonder if there is a cremation discount for partially burned bodies.

[@dillinpicklesworth5698]

Get ready for price hikes!!😒

[@jasonhare8540]

But pipelines are super safe remember ???

[@dpharr100]

Was it on purpose?

[@TheMrMused]

Bollards. Use 'em liberally around critical infrastructure. Way to go TX .. nice job on those regulations!

[@Urbicide]

Look at what happened to the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland.

[@amyhartman6786]

Well did the driver get out and run away, or did the driver eventually get cooked in their car after the explosion? No one is saying anything about what happen with the driver after the impact with the pipeline valve. Did 1st responders have to pull the driver out, if they were even able to get close enough?

[@briansmyla8696]

lol no way anyone could get close enough. Meat is fall off the bone cooked by now.

[@amyhartman6786]

@@briansmyla8696 By now well yes of course it would be. I meant as soon as it had happened. Wonder if any of those businesses across the street there would have any video cameras at that angle that would have picked that up.

[@user-393cbm]

Something is not adding up… My condolences for those involved…🤨♾️🇺🇸

[@amyjade65]

How do you not have a protected barrier around that?

[@gusgarza6529]

Sad. 😢😢 Possible Heart Attack?

[@engineman248]

She is probably older than dirt and shouldn't of had a license or as you can see been driving.

[@seanokeefe703]

Why no bollards or railing around that ?

[@RicardoLopez-nj8vr]

Sir, that thumbnail fire ball looks like it has horns

[@Flint-Dibble-the-Don]

"What had happened was..."

[@musk-eteer9898]

what is the brand of the suv? bet they are disappointed that it wasn't a Tesla

[@OpalDruscilla]

Classic American situation

[@Denniss7420]

That and the Thousands of Unmarked (No lights or gates) railroad crossings!!

[@sugadaddy7050]

....why was that rig so close to a Walmart!?

[@sunshine3914]

They’re everywhere, especially on that side of Houston.

[@ReneRivera-v7l]

That old dude is a big chismoso

[@ColAngus]

There goes all the vehicle emissions testing for the year......doh

[@richkalbus4346]

must not be cost effective to try and stop the gushing flames. very impressive effort to do nothing

[@JamesAllmond]

No way to cut it off, no crash protection around vulnerable hardware, great design. Texas, guess how well managed the rest of your state's isolated from everybody else's energy grids are.

[@j.r.murray]

Arby's said the valves are safe though

[@bocephusmcclintock3871]

Not shutting off the flow seems like a convenient way to use up unwanted product or create a scarcity

[@Urbicide]

This was a shutoff valve that got destroyed. Normally you would expect something to happen in the pipeline between two valves, so you would shut the two valves down. Now you are dealing with a much larger section of pipeline that goes on for many miles. It was full of liquefied natural gas.

[@TUPELO_HUNNY]

Probably someone close to Trump's age.....they did say an elderly person. He's definitely elderly

[@Urbicide]

Trump is elderly, but he is not feeble or demented, unlike the current POTUS.

[@whiskeywhiskey9696]

My vehicle emmisions fee will help save the environment.

[@2003VZ06]

These pipelines with no nearby shut off valves, thats a huge problem, thats what should be next, make all these companies install them at least every 5 miles, 20 miles is just unacceptable, they make billions and cant control a fire

[@avatarskyriser4066]

is she, the driver, alive?

[@cheryljacobs8741]

Should be more than a barb wire fence

[@vaylon1701]

I hear lots of people complaining about having more safty valves on the pipeline. Guess which political party has killed that legislation every time it gets mentioned?

[@dalegray3188]

Somewhere there is a valve that turns that off

[@Urbicide]

That was a valve. Now you have to backtrack many miles one way & many more in the opposite direction to get to the valves.

[@Aluzky.Irezumi]

Stuff near by is smoking from how hot it is ♥

[@rcDoom]

No wonder why Progressive is leaving Texas natural disasters, now man made disasters

[@melvinwren]

why waste time say lot word when few word do trick

[@charlesurrea1451]

Good grief, how tall is Alex? Looked like she was interviewing Cotton from King of the Hill.

[@jodieh1906]

They need the guy called Big Red and his crew to put that out , that's his specialty. They put oil fires out on the ocean .

[@Urbicide]

They could put it out, but the remaining liquefied natural gas would continue to go from a liquid to gas & simply reignite.

[@tonystochmal2646]

There goes our gas bill for the winter!

[@oveljoker2415]

For that state or all country