Officials confirmed there were deaths but did not provide a specific number. At least four people were injured, but there may be more victims.
DALLAS – Fire destroys a two-story building Dallas apartment buildings Thursday, there were injuries and the search for missing persons was still ongoing, a fire official said.
The blaze spewed huge plumes of black smoke into the sky and prompted a massive firefighting response.
“There are fatalities,” Dallas Fire Department Deputy Chief Mark Berry told a news conference, adding that the mission had shifted from rescue to recovery. “Let’s go through the recovery phase and get the total number.”
Officials said some people have been accounted for, but the total remains unclear.
Officials said crews were responding to a gas leak at The Clyde, a two-story apartment building at the intersection of Patton Avenue and East 9th Street, around 12:47 a.m. Thursday, May 28, according to Dallas Fire Rescue. An explosion occurred en route, according to DFR.
At least four people were taken to hospitals and their conditions are unknown at this time, officials said. There may be more victims, depending on how many people were home at the time.
Dozens of firefighters combed through the rubble of a smoldering building on the outskirts of downtown Dallas Thursday afternoon as colleagues continued to water the blackened remains.
The cause of the fire is unclear. Neighbors said they heard a loud bang that sounded like an explosion.
Emily is a resident of The Clyde, formerly known as the El Ricardo apartment complex, Describing the moment she and her sister were at home when they heard an explosion.
“She and I heard a big commotion, like the apartment was shaking,” Emily said. “Then I grabbed her. I went to the bathroom with her and locked the door and tried to cover her. And the top floor of the apartment, it was like destroyed, shattered into the apartment below us, the windows were shattered.”
Julie Jensen said she was at home less than a block from the burning building when she heard what sounded like an explosion and her ears were ringing.
“I was sitting on the couch watching TV and things were flying off the wall,” Jensen said.
Jensen said when she looked out the window, she saw smoke rising and neighbors running. She grabbed the family cat and left, finding a nearby parking lot to wait until she knew it was safe to return.
DFR said more than 100 firefighters responded to the scene.
A resident of the building who identified himself as Mr. Brown witnessed the possible explosion. He told WFAA he felt the apartment shake and saw a young girl trying to escape the rubble. He drew the attention of Dallas firefighters, who responded and transported her to the hospital.
“Save her life, that’s what I was thinking, save her life,” Brown said.
A witness who gave her name only as Marcela said she was in bed when she felt a loud bang. The blast was so powerful, she said, that it blew out her window.
“It’s actually crazy,” she said. “As we were talking, my body was shaking. I was so scared, I literally jumped out of bed. I looked out the window to see what was going on. It scared me and I started crying and stuff.”
Another resident, who gave his name only as Terrence, said he saw flames as soon as he got out of his car.
“I lost my animals and everything,” he said. “They were probably burned, man. Two dogs, three cats. When I got out of the car and came home, I saw all this smoke. My wife said, ‘That’s our apartment complex.'”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
