In Etoile, a small rural community about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast of Houston, a well site explosion late Monday set off a large fire that prompted evacuations and shelter-in-place requests, according to officials in the Nacogdoches area. The blast was reported by residents to local authorities and was seen from a wide distance, officials said Tuesday.
The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office said it received numerous calls after the explosion in Etoile, where the incident occurred at an oil well site, the sheriff’s office said. The city of Nacogdoches, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) away, described it as a natural gas well based on information it received from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
City spokesperson Kevin Meyer said some residents evacuated as a precaution while others were asked to shelter in place. Meyer also said the fire was still burning early Tuesday, but authorities reported it was not spreading and was being monitored.
Meyer said the situation posed no immediate risk to nearby residents, writing in a news release: “There is currently no danger to local residents from the fire, and air quality in the area is being monitored as well.” He said a well control emergency response company was working to suppress the fire.
Drilling company H&P said the cause of the well blowout was not yet known. In a statement, company spokesperson Stephanie Higgins said, “At this time there is no indication of an immediate broader risk, and monitoring is ongoing,” and said the company was cooperating with investigators.