Fire crews searched through collapsed debris after a natural gas blast and fire in Oak Cliff.
DALLAS, TX — A natural gas explosion and fire killed three people, including a child, Thursday at a two-story apartment complex in Dallas’ Oak Cliff neighborhood as firefighters responded to a reported gas leak, officials said.
The blast destroyed much of the building, sent black smoke over the area south of downtown Dallas and left several residents injured or displaced. Dallas Fire-Rescue said crews shifted from rescue work to a slow recovery operation as they searched the burned debris by hand and with drones. Officials said the full number of people inside the building was not immediately clear.
Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans said at least five people were taken to hospitals after the explosion and fire. The bodies of two adult women and one child were found in the rubble, officials said. Assistant Fire Chief James Russ said the fire had been contained, but crews were still working through primary searches at the scene. “This was enormous,” Evans said as firefighters continued moving through the wreckage late Thursday.
The explosion happened as fire crews were being sent to the apartment complex for a reported gas leak. Officials said a natural gas line had been damaged before the blast, and investigators were looking at work in the area as part of the review. Flames quickly spread through the two-story structure, leaving parts of the building collapsed into a pile of charred wood, twisted metal and smoking debris. Firefighters used hoses from the ground and from ladder trucks while other crews searched areas that were safe enough to enter.
The complex sits in Oak Cliff, a large section of southern Dallas that includes older homes, small apartment buildings and busy commercial corridors near the Bishop Arts area. Video from the scene showed dozens of emergency vehicles lining nearby streets as firefighters poured water onto the ruins. A plume of black smoke could be seen from a distance. Officials said the scene remained dangerous because parts of the structure were unstable and some areas could not be searched without heavier equipment.
Residents and neighbors described a sudden boom that shook nearby homes. Julie Jensen, who lives less than a block away, said she was watching television when the blast hit and left her ears ringing. She said items flew from her walls before she saw smoke rising outside and neighbors running. Another resident, who identified himself as Mr. Terrance, told a local television station that he returned home by bus and saw smoke coming from the complex where he lived. He said he lost pets and belongings in the fire.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said he was monitoring updates from Oak Cliff and said his prayers were with the injured, their families and people who suffered losses. Fire officials said they were working with utility representatives and other investigators to determine the exact sequence of events. Atmos Energy, the natural gas utility serving the area, was cooperating with the investigation, officials said. Gas service in the affected area was shut off while crews worked to make the scene safe.
The search through the building was expected to continue beyond the initial fire response. Evans said late Thursday that firefighters had searched less than half of the scene by hand and that some sections would require excavation. Officials said they could not rule out the possibility of finding more victims until the full debris field was cleared. No final cause determination had been announced, and officials had not released the names of the three people killed.
City officials and first responders set up a reunification process for residents and relatives trying to locate people from the building. Crews also worked to account for residents who were away from home when the explosion happened. The fire response drew nearly 100 firefighters, according to reports from the scene, and included engines, ladder trucks, ambulances and police units. The scale of the response reflected the risk of trapped residents and the instability of the collapsed structure.
The blast left residents facing the loss of homes, vehicles and personal property, along with uncertainty about when they could return to the area. Firefighters remained focused on the recovery work before investigators could fully examine the debris. Officials said the next major step would be completing the search, securing the site and determining how the gas line was damaged before the explosion.
Author note: Last updated May 29, 2026.