Over 36 hours after the blast — which shot towering flames like a blowtorch above the suburbs of Deer Park and La Porte — authorities have provided few details about the circumstances leading up to the explosion.

"The fire continues to burn itself out this morning, which is the safest way to manage the incident," the City of Deer Park said.

The city of La Porte said it has slightly reduced the evacuation area south of the pipeline fire, but did not say how many people were affected.

A massive pipeline explosion that sent a towering flame over neighborhoods near Houston for hours on Monday began after a vehicle drove through a fence and struck an above-ground valve, officials said.