Evacuations but No Injuries After Pipeline Ruptures in Texas

CUERO, Texas (AP) — Authorities say no one was injured after a natural gas pipeline rupture sparked a massive fire that prompted home evacuations in South Texas.

Spokeswoman Peggy Fonseca with the DeWitt County Emergency Operations Center says an Energy Transfer Partners pipeline ruptured near Lindenau, in a rural area of the county, around 8 p.m. Sunday.

Fonseca said early Monday morning that the gas had been rerouted and the fire was out.

She says there were no reports of injuries, but seven homes were evacuated. Residents would be allowed to return after safety inspections were completed.

Vicki Anderson Granado, a spokeswoman for Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, says the company will investigate the cause of the rupture.

The Victoria Advocate reported that the blaze could be seen from 20 miles away.

Lindenau is about 85 miles southeast of San Antonio.

(Story by: The Associated Press)