U.S. Houston pipeline flames subside but continue burning: officials

NEW YORK, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The flames that towered over a southeast Houston suburb, U.S. state of Texas, had subsided on Tuesday, but continued to burn following a massive pipeline explosion after a vehicle drove through a fence and struck an above-ground valve, officials told The Associated Press (AP).

"Progress has been made as first responder crews worked through the night. The fire is significantly smaller," according to a statement from the city of Deer Park.

City officials have said investigations by police and local FBI agents have found no preliminary reports that would suggest a coordinated or "terrorist" attack and that "this appears to be an isolated incident."

The investigation included efforts to learn more about the driver of a vehicle that was incinerated by the pipeline explosion as flames scorched the ground across a wide radius, severed adjacent power transmission lines and ignited homes at a distance.

An evacuation area included nearly 1,000 homes and initial shelter orders included schools, said the AP report.