Deer Park residents return to damaged homes and melted vehicles after pipeline explosion prompted evacuations

DEER PARK, Texas (KTRK) — Many people living near the site of Monday’s pipeline explosion were allowed to return to their homes for the first time Wednesday.

But not everyone was prepared for what they found as noticeably smaller flames continued to burn.

Steve and Diane Hutto’s home, just yards from the pipeline on East Meadow Drive, survived the fire for the most part, except for a partially melted backyard storage shed.

However, the water from the fire hoses trained on it to prevent it from igniting severely damaged their home of 14 years.

“Everything is just soaking wet: the walls, the couches, the clothes, everything. I don’t think we can save anything,” Diane Hutto said.

One thing that survived was pictures of Steve Hutto’s son, which were sealed away in a plastic container in a closet.

“We were really concerned about that because he had passed away, and that’s all he has of his son,” Diane Hutto said.

The City of Deer Park announced that people living in the evacuation zone would be allowed to return to their homes as early as 6 p.m.

However, Eyewitness News saw several returning before then.

The Huttos said they were able to return Wednesday morning to retrieve belongings, and Areanna Molero said authorities escorted her to her house to retrieve items Tuesday.

“We just have a lot of heat damage. Some broken windows, some melted areas, like meters, are not working,” Morelo said.

The heat melted the back half of her parents’ car, and there were shutters on nearby homes.

Eyewitness News spoke to a homeowner who said she returned Wednesday to find her door open and her caged pet birds missing.

She said the heat had damaged her house and several of her vehicles.

The city is now estimating the fire will be out Thursday night.

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