A natural gas explosion destroyed a residential building in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas on Thursday afternoon, killing three people, including a child, and injuring several others, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Dallas Fire-Rescue officials said Thursday night that the victims include two adult women and one child. During the afternoon news conference, officials said crews remained in the recovery phase and continued searching the debris by hand and with drones.
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In the hours immediately following the blast, a source with knowledge of the situation told NBCDFW that fire officials were initially trying to reach approximately 11 residents of the building to determine if they were OK. But Thursday night, Dallas Fire Rescue officials said they do not have a confirmed number of people who remain unaccounted for. Earlier in the day, an assistant fire chief said officials were attempting to contact an unspecified number of people by phone to determine whether they were home or away from the building.
DFR said crews were dispatched to a reported gas leak at about 12:45 p.m. on the 400 block of E. Ninth Street. Officials said when the first units arrived about two minutes later, a fire had already broken out.
At about 2:20 p.m., the response was increased from three alarms to four alarms. By 3:23 p.m., it was raised to five alarms to provide relief for firefighters working in the heat.
Officials later confirmed a natural gas explosion triggered the fire.
On Thursday night, the National Transportation Safety Board announced it was sending a team to Dallas to investigate the explosion.
“NTSB is sending a team to Dallas, Texas, to start an investigation into the Thursday, May 28, natural gas-fueled explosion that destroyed an apartment building in the Oak Cliff neighborhood,” the agency said in a post on X.
Contractor reportedly working at the building before fatal explosion, fire
Senior Investigative Reporter Scott Friedman said sources with knowledge of the situation told him that it appeared a contractor was working in the building at the time and may have struck a gas line.
It is unclear what type of work was being done at the apartment complex, but city officials said Thursday afternoon that the city was not performing any street work in the area.
Atmos Energy later confirmed to NBCDFW that the fire department informed them at 12:51 p.m. that a construction crew had damaged a natural gas pipeline near the building. Atmos said they were not part of that work, that technicians were dispatched to assist Dallas Fire-Rescue and other emergency management personnel at the scene, and that natural gas service in the immediate area has been turned off. Atmos said an investigation is ongoing and that crews remain at the site to provide support.
The city’s Planning and Development Department told NBC 5 Investigates it was aware of two applications submitted earlier this year regarding plans for possible redevelopment of the apartment building. But the city said any such project was in an exploratory phase, and that no construction permits had been issued for the site at this time. Fire officials have not provided details on what type of work was occurring at the building prior to the explosion, or whether that work would have required any permit.
Woman tells NBCDFW she’s looking for her sister, young nephew
Rosy Martinez told NBCDFW’s Maria Guerrero that after learning of the explosion and fire, she went to the building to look for her sister and nephew.
“We don’t know where they are at and we can’t find them. I just hope that we can find them soon and I hope they are OK,” said Martinez. “My sister, Marisol Martinez, she is 38 and my baby nephew, his name is Manuel, and he’s 1. I just hope he’s OK and I hope we find him soon. This doesn’t feel real to me. I don’t know how to act. I don’t know how to react. I just want to see them.”
On Friday, the family of Marisol Perez confirmed with NBC 5 that the nephew’s name is Erik Perez jr.
NBC 5 News
NBC 5 News Rosy Martinez told NBCDFW she’s looking for her sister and nephew after an apartment building caught fire following a natural gas explosion, Thursday, May 28, 2026.
Witnesses recall hearing a ‘big boom’ before the deadly explosion
Texas Sky Ranger flew over the building shortly after 1:30 p.m., and it appeared to be completely destroyed. Heavy smoke and flames were visible coming from the structure, and debris from the two-story apartment building was seen on top of an adjacent home.
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The flames spread to at least one vehicle parked in front of the building, which appeared to be a truck-mounted drilling rig.
“We live right here in the corner house, and we were inside, and then when we heard it, it was like a boom! And at first I thought the tree fell on my house or something, or somebody hit my house because I live in the corner. So we came out here, and we’re just looking around, then we saw the smoke and the apartments have blew up,” said a witness who spoke to NBCDFW.
Fire increased to five alarms; search and rescue teams arrive to look for missing residents
Dallas Fire-Rescue said 115 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, some of whom were seen combing through the debris.
DFR’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team, a specialized team trained to fight fires and search through debris in the event of urban structural collapse, was also dispatched to the fire.
In the initial hours of the search, a source with knowledge of the situation said 12 residents had been accounted for. Officials did confirm three fatalities, but it’s not known how many people were inside the building when the explosion occurred.
Officials also confirmed during a news conference on Thursday afternoon that four people were transported to the hospital in unknown conditions. Three of those people were taken by ambulance, and two people went to the hospital on their own.
Further details about what led to the explosion are unclear. Information about the identities of the injured and deceased individuals has not been released at this time.
Dallas Fire-Rescue says at least three people were killed and five others were injured after a massive natural gas explosion at an apartment complex in Dallas. The blast sparked an intense fire, sending flames high into the air and creating a plume of dark smoke visible for miles, reportedly as far away as Tarrant County. Emergency crews remain on the scene, searching through the charred debris. Our crews have been at the scene throughout the afternoon with continuing team coverage and the latest developments.
Dallas mayor calls for prayers for families affected by the tragedy
“I want to encourage our entire city, this entire state, the entire nation, to come together and pray for all the people, all the families who are affected by this tragedy we are experiencing here today in our city. We ask everyone to please pray for our Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel who are still fighting this fire,” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson during the news conference. “They do an amazing job under very, very difficult circumstances like this. And we just pray that they will be safe while they try to save and help every single person that they can.”
“I am closely monitoring the latest developments regarding the explosion in Oak Cliff. My prayers are with those injured, their families, and all those who have suffered loss from this tragic event. Our Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel responded swiftly, and their efforts to fight the fire are ongoing,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in a post on X on Thursday afternoon.
Assistance centers established at the nearby high school and hospital
The fire was about a block from W.H. Adamson High School. Officials with the Dallas ISD said the school dismissed for summer break on Wednesday. A family assistance center has been established at the school for those injured during the fire. A staging area was also established at the nearby Methodist Dallas Medical Center, where injured individuals can be triaged.
