The Texas Railroad Commission is investigating a natural gas explosion that damaged a $200 million Harrison County power plant early today.The rupture and explosion on a Kinder Morgan pipeline produced flames whose glow could be seen as far away as Shreveport.

Investigators want to find out what caused the 3 inch underground natural gas pipeline to blow shortly after 2 a.m., sending flames towering into the air and igniting a fire at the neighboring Entergy electric power generating plant.

Residents living near the pipeline said the explosion shook their homes and the fire made it look like daylight. "It rattled us out of the bed," a local resident said. "We hit the floor running 'cause when we looked out the doors, everything was so bright. And we hollered 'power plant' and got out as quickly as possible." The Entergy plant, located about eight miles south of Marshall, was heavily damaged. One worker was slightly injured. New Orleans-based Entergy co-owns the plant with two electric co-ops.

Authorities closed highways in the immediate vicinity and people in about three dozen homes were evacuated. An evacuation center was opened at the Marshall Civic Center.