Dallas gas explosion: 3 dead, including child, in gas explosion in Dallas apartment building
At least three people, including a child, were killed and five others were injured Thursday when a gas explosion in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas caused a massive fire and destroyed a two-story apartment building.As firefighters worked the scene, friends and relatives of nearby residents gathered, many of whom were unable to reach their loved ones. This building located south of downtown Dallas was transformed into a black circle. A huge plume of black smoke was visible for miles, the AP reported.Dallas Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Mark Berry said crews were already responding to a report of a gas leak when the explosion occurred. “We had cavalry coming in,” Berry said. “But the explosion had already happened.”Local natural gas provider Atmos Energy said in a statement that fire officials informed them that a construction crew unrelated to the company had damaged a pipeline near the site. Natural gas service was discontinued in the area. Company officials were at the scene working with investigators.Resident Cassie Proctor said her mother had smelled gas inside the building the day before, but she didn’t think much of it at the time. Proctor was not home at the time of the explosion. She was heartbroken that her cat, Shirley, was trapped inside the debris. Pointing to the clothes she was wearing, she said, “I’ve been sitting there crying for hours. I don’t know what to do. I have everything right here.”He spent the afternoon talking with neighbors who had evacuated. One of them was a girl who was taking care of her younger sister at home. The girl took both the child and their dog to a safe place.Dozens of firefighters reached the scene. Some trained hose on smoldering debris. Others removed burnt wood and debris by hand and searched for anyone trapped below. Dallas Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief James Russ provided an update from the scene. “The fire has been brought under control, but our members are still working at the spot for primary search,” he said.Spokesman Jason Evans said crews had searched less than half of the scene by hand as of late Thursday night. Excavation will be required in some areas. He did not rule out finding more victims. It is also not clear how many residents were living in the complex at the time of the blast. “It was huge,” Evans said of the fire.Authorities set up a family reunification center at a nearby high school. Hours after the explosion, Francis Rizzo was still trying to reach a friend who lived in the building. “She’s not answering her phone,” Rizzo said.Neighbors described the intensity of the explosion. Julie Jensen lived less than a block away. She was sitting on her sofa watching TV when the explosion occurred. “Stuff flew off our walls,” she said. When he looked outside, smoke was rising and neighbors were running away. She grabbed her cat and left, waiting in a nearby parking lot until it was safe to return.Sal de la Rosa was at work at a nearby auto repair shop. “Suddenly, we heard and felt this huge boom. We felt the building shake a little bit,” he said. A co-worker came out and saw thick black smoke rising into the air.