DALLAS — A huge fire destroyed a two-story apartment building in Dallas on Thursday, causing fatalities and injuries and the search for missing people is ongoing, a fire official said.
The blaze sent huge plumes of black smoke into the sky and drew a massive firefighter response.
“There have been fatalities at this point,” Dallas Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Mark Berry said at a news conference, adding the mission has changed from rescue to recovery. “Let us work through the recovery phase and get a total number.”
Officials said some individuals have been accounted for, but the total remains unclear.
Officials said crews were responding to a reported gas leak around 12:47 p.m. Thursday, May 28, at a two-story apartment complex called The Clyde, at the intersection of Patton Avenue and East 9th Street, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue. While en route, the explosion occurred, according to DFR.
At least four people were taken to the hospital, and their condition is unknown, officials said. There could be more victims, depending on the number of people home at the time.
Dozens of firefighters searched through the smoldering rubble of the building on the outskirts of downtown Dallas on Thursday afternoon, even as colleagues continued to drench the blackened debris.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Neighbors said they heard a loud boom like an explosion.
Emily, a resident at The Clyde, formerly known as the El Ricardo apartment complex, described the moment she heard an explosion while at home with her sister.
“Me and her heard a big commotion like the apartment was shaking,” Emily said. “Then I grabbed her. I went with her to the restroom, locked the door, trying to cover her. And the top floor of the apartment, it was like destroyed and shattered into our apartment downstairs, and even the window was breaking.”
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Julie Jensen said she was at home less than a block from the burning building when she heard a noise like an explosion that left her ears ringing.
“I was sitting on my couch watching TV — stuff flew off our walls,” Jensen said.
Jensen said she saw rising smoke and neighbors running when she looked out the window. She grabbed her family’s cat and left, finding a nearby parking lot to wait until she knew it was safe to return.
More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene, DFR said.
A resident of the building, who identified himself as Mr. Brown, witnessed the possible explosion. He told WFAA that he felt the apartment shake and saw a young girl attempting to escape the debris. He drew the attention of Dallas firefighters, who responded and transported her to a hospital.
“Just save her life, that’s what I was thinking, just save her life,” Brown said.
A witness who identified herself as Marcella said she was in bed when she felt a loud boom. The explosion was so powerful that it blew out her windows, she said.
“It was actually crazy,” she said. “My body is vibrating right now as we speak. I was so scared, I literally jumped out of my bed. I peeked out of the window to see what was going on. It scared me, I started crying and everything.”
Another resident, who identified himself as Mr. Terrance, said he had just gotten off the bus and saw the flames.
“I lost my animals and everything,” he said. “They probably burnt up, man. Two dogs, three cats. Getting off the bus coming home, and I’ve seen all this smoke. My wife says, ‘That’s our apartment complex.'”
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.