Watch: Pipeline explosion shoots flames 500 feet high, reportedly seen in three states

Natalie Neysa Alund and Alexia Aston, USA TODAY NETWORK
·2 min read
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Authorities in Oklahoma's panhandle Thursday continued to investigate the official cause of a pipeline explosion in a small town near the north Texas border. Witnesses reported flames could be seen for miles in the night sky from at least three states.

The blast took place near the unincorporated community of Elmwood, a Beaver County dispatcher confirmed to USA TODAY on Thursday. The scene is about 210 miles northwest of the state's capital, Oklahoma City.

"The glow can be seen for miles!" Elmwood Fire Department posted on Facebook.

Multiple assisting agencies including the Booker Fire Department in north Texas responded to the scene late Tuesday night after the explosion shot massive flames more than 500 feet into the air, officials said.

A pipeline explosion near the Oklahoma panhandle Tuesday night created flames over 500 feet tall.
A pipeline explosion near the Oklahoma panhandle Tuesday night created flames over 500 feet tall.

No injuries reported, minimal damage to surrounding area

Beaver County Emergency Manager Keith Shadden told USA TODAY there were no injuries involved and Phillips Petroleum was investigating.

The explosion caused minimal damage to area around the pipeline, The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported.

"We are 36 miles away from the fire and we can see it," a Facebook user commented on a post from Elmwood fire.

"We can see the glow in Sublette, (Kansas)," another user posted.

Another user posted a photo of the fire they wrote was captured from roughly 25 miles away.

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A pipeline explosion near the Oklahoma panhandle Tuesday night created flames over 500 feet tall.
A pipeline explosion near the Oklahoma panhandle Tuesday night created flames over 500 feet tall.

Video shows flames shooting 500 feet into air

Videos shared by fire departments at the scene show flames shooting into the sky, with officials estimating they rose nearly 500 feet high.

Footage showing the flames was shot from three miles away, the Booker Fire Department posted on its Facebook page.

Official cause still under investigation

Earlier, KAMR-TV reported the flames were contained on Wednesday, but the remaining fuel for the fire could take longer to completely burn away.

Although the official cause of the blast has not yet been determined, the outlet reported emergency management officials said the fire may have started after a feeder pipe leading into a larger main natural gas pipeline ruptured.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

A pipeline explosion near the Oklahoma panhandle Tuesday night created flames over 500 feet tall.
A pipeline explosion near the Oklahoma panhandle Tuesday night created flames over 500 feet tall.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oklahoma gas pipeline explosion send flames into sky: Video