Commissioners looking into pipeline fire prevention after Deer Park blast

LA PORTE, Texas (KTRK) -- The criminal investigation into why someone crashed into a pipeline in La Porte, causing a massive fire, is still underway.

In the meantime, we still don't have any more information on the person found dead inside the SUV, which police say crashed through a fence and into the above-ground pipeline.

As all that is being sorted out, conversations on how this can be prevented are beginning at the county level.

The county is planning to submit a commissioners' court item as it determines whether and how to regulate or enforce extra security measures at above-ground pipeline infrastructures across our area, similar to the one in La Porte.

In an ABC13 one-on-one with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, she spoke about her mission to try to prevent this from happening again.

"Is there something, some way that we can require additional safety, whether it be on the side of additional barriers around the infrastructure or whether it be on the side of? Let's think about where we build," Hidalgo said.

We're told all conversations are now happening with the county attorney to determine exactly what the county is allowed to do.

"Can we require there to be sturdier barriers? In the very worst-case scenario, can we inform people where the above-ground pipeline infrastructure is? So that neighbors can be aware put pressure and also thinking what are the hazardous chemicals?" Hidalgo said.

As Hidalgo figures out ways to regulate or provide more transparency for homeowners around pipelines like the one in La Porte that caught on fire, representatives in the City of Deer Park say they can't provide any details on the criminal investigation as we work to find out who exactly was found dead inside that SUV.

"It's incumbent on us to figure out what really happened to hold folks accountable if there is someone to hold accountable. For now, we're looking at the industry side. I'm not saying that they're bad actors in not having more protection or more information, but let's bring it up and see how we can partner on this," Hidalgo said.

The county judge says the commissioners' court item will be submitted at the end of next month.

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