"Burp" Causes Blast at Texas Natural Gas Plant

Flammable liquid somehow reached a burning flare at a natural gas plant near Snyder, Texas, causing a “burp” that unleashed a sudden explosion Tuesday night.

Nearby residents asked to evacuate the area after the blast have been cleared to return to their homes, the City of Snyder Office of Emergency Management stated via Facebook.

The explosion occurred at the Kinder Morgan gas plant at about 8 p.m., press accounts state.

“Other safety systems functioned as they were supposed to shutting the plant down,” the Facebook account states.

A gas flare burns off gas released by relief valves to avoid over-pressuring plant equipment.

Employees are in the process of bringing the Kinder Morgan back online Wednesday morning.