Investigators suspect foul play in New Caney pipeline explosion

06:24 PM CDT on Sunday, September 26, 2004

By Mike Zientek / 11 News

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KHOU-TV The pipeline exploded just before 5 a.m. Sunday morning.

NEW CANEY, Texas—Hundreds of residents were evacuated from their homes early Sunday morning in Montgomery County after a pipeline explosion.

It happened in New Caney, near Lavaca and Sabine. Investigators believe the entire mess was caused by somebody who shouldn’t have been there.

Thick clouds of black smoke kept tumbling into the air as the chemical fire raged below.

People who live around the explosion said loud booms woke them up.

William Tippett thought his home was coming apart.

“I was asleep and then I heard this big ol’ loud explosion. First like a minor one, then another one went off, then a third one. It was like a big orange cannon bomb. And then I looked out my window, the whole sky was lit up orange,” said Tippett.

Montgomery County fire investigators said a pipeline ruptured just before 5 a.m.

It was carrying propylene, a chemical used to make plastics.

The worries at first were the smoke belching from the blaze and another propane pipeline nearby.

That’s why officials evacuated around 250 people.

Dozens ended up at the New Caney Ninth Grade Campus, including Rodger Moores and his two daughters.

“It’s boring, tired. Nothing to do for the kids that much, but they’re trying to make do,” said Moores.

The fire burned itself out before noon, but investigators are wondering if this was more than a pipeline rupturing. They’re checking into the possibility someone did this on purpose.

“We have what appears to be a trackhoe that has become involved in this incident,” said Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams.

The Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office said that trackhoe was onsite to help put lines on new electrical poles.

He also said the pipeline’s owner said nobody was supposed to be digging there.

“Obviously there’s no reasonable explanation that someone would be digging right away on a pipeline in the middle of the night,” said Williams.

By early afternoon everybody was back in their homes, still wondering what caused them to leave in the first place.

Fire officials said the explosion didn’t hurt anyone, didn’t damage any homes, and didn’t pose a large toxic threat. They also said that whether the intention was to hit the pipeline or not, moving construction equipment is an act of felony criminal mischief.

There is no word yet as to whether or not this incident is related to two other incidents of vandalism at Montgomery County constructions sites so far this year.