Confirmed fatalities after explosion, massive fire at Dallas apartment complex
A gas leak was reported at the apartment complex on Thursday, authorities said.
A massive fire tore through an apartment complex in Dallas following an explosion on Thursday, resulting in fatalities, authorities said.
Several people remain unaccounted for as authorities say they have shifted from rescue to recovery mode.
Firefighters were responding to a report of a gas leak when an explosion occurred at the apartment complex, according to Dallas Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Mark Berry.
The blaze broke out shortly before 1 p.m. local time and continued to "escalate and upgrade" to a five-alarm fire, according to Dallas Fire Rescue Assistant Chief James Russ.
"This was quite a challenge from the very beginning, because this was expanding with multiple aspects of hazards that had to be addressed," Dallas Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Scott Pacot said during a press briefing Thursday.
The fire has since been contained, and firefighters are conducting searches of the site and using a drone to canvass the area for any victims, Russ said. News footage from the scene showed crews sifting through the debris.
Authorities are working on getting a "precise" number of missing individuals and the total number of residents, Berry said.
"There have been fatalities at this point," Berry said.
Four people were transported to the hospital, Russ said during a briefing earlier Thursday. No information was provided on their conditions.
The city had no active work in that area at the time of the incident, a spokesperson for the Dallas Department of Transportation and Public Works told reporters.
Neighbors told ABC Dallas affiliate WFAA they heard a "very big explosion" and "loud boom," then heard people screaming and saw smoke.
One neighbor told the station the windows in her apartment were blown out, while another said he could feel the ground shake.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson noted during the press briefing that it was the first day of summer vacation for the Dallas Independent School District.
"We need to pray for these folks who are affected by this and for our entire city," Johnson said.
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