The explosion came on a Thursday afternoon in the Oak Cliff neighborhood, just south of downtown Dallas. Firefighters from Dallas Fire‑Rescue were on the scene because a gas leak had been reported. We were preparing to bring residents out, said Chief Justin Ball, who said the team had done everything they were supposed to do before the fireball struck.
The blast ripped through a two‑story complex of 22 apartments, leaving three people dead and at least five others injured. One victim was a child.
Nearby streets remained closed by police and bright‑yellow vests marked the rubble as the crew cleared the scene. Natural‑gas company Atmos Energy said a contractor unrelated to the company had damaged the underground pipeline during soil testing. The National Transportation Safety Board will send eight investigators by Friday afternoon.
The owner is shocked and mourns this outcome, said attorney Geoff Henley. We still do not know how many perished in the fireball.
Residents nearby were shaken. Sherry Woods, living just a few steps from the site, sensed a smell of gas and heard a loud boom that nearly knocked her down.
Officials set up a family‑reunification center at a local high school as survivors searched for missing friends and family.
Trish Thompson, a neighbor, described the sound as something more like a train and woke up with smoke rising from the block. She urged people to pray for those affected.
The incident is a stark reminder of the dangers of gas lines and the importance of safety checks. Stay tuned for safety tips from Dallas Fire‑Rescue on how to handle potential gas leaks.
The blast ripped through a two‑story complex of 22 apartments, leaving three people dead and at least five others injured. One victim was a child.
Nearby streets remained closed by police and bright‑yellow vests marked the rubble as the crew cleared the scene. Natural‑gas company Atmos Energy said a contractor unrelated to the company had damaged the underground pipeline during soil testing. The National Transportation Safety Board will send eight investigators by Friday afternoon.
The owner is shocked and mourns this outcome, said attorney Geoff Henley. We still do not know how many perished in the fireball.
Residents nearby were shaken. Sherry Woods, living just a few steps from the site, sensed a smell of gas and heard a loud boom that nearly knocked her down.
Officials set up a family‑reunification center at a local high school as survivors searched for missing friends and family.
Trish Thompson, a neighbor, described the sound as something more like a train and woke up with smoke rising from the block. She urged people to pray for those affected.
The incident is a stark reminder of the dangers of gas lines and the importance of safety checks. Stay tuned for safety tips from Dallas Fire‑Rescue on how to handle potential gas leaks.
