A pipeline fire that burned in a Houston suburb for four days finally went out Thursday as authorities announced a criminal investigation into the blaze that had roared into a towering flame, forcing neighborhoods to evacuate and melting parts of nearby cars.

Fire involving a pipeline carrying natural gas liquids must burn itself out, its operator said, which could take until Tuesday A massive pipeline fire sent a pillar of flame towering over some Houston suburbs on Monday as first responders evacuated a surrounding residential area and tried to keep nearby homes from catching on fire.

A fire that burned for four days after a pipeline explosion in the Houston suburbs burned out Thursday after the once-towering blaze put hundreds of nearby homes under evacuation orders. Investigators say the fire began after the driver of an SUV went through a fence alongside a Walmart parking lot and struck an above-ground valve.