Police and FBI have rule out terrorist activity caused a Houston pipeline explosion

Authorities have ruled out the possibility that an explosion in the Houston area Monday was the result of terrorist activities.

The explosion near La Port, a suburb of Houston roughly 25 miles southeast of the city’s downtown area, resulted from an SUV that drove through a fence and struck an above-ground valve, according to Fox News.

An investigation by police and local FBI agents found no evidence that would suggest the crash was a "terrorist" action. Deer Park officials said "this appears to be an isolated incident." 

Energy Transfer, the firm that operates the pipeline, immediately shut off gas flow to the pipeline, and the blaze persisted until the remaining fuel burned out.

Sherry and Chad Richard, who witnessed the incident, told KTRK-TV that they saw the vehicle drive through some brush before driving through the fence. It then accelerated towards the pipeline. The couple said it appeared the driver was having a medical episode.

The vehicle was incinerated in the blaze, Fox reported, and it severed a transmission lines, which ignited some nearby homes. Nearly 1,000 homes were evacuated and residents sheltered in schools.