At least 3 dead, 5 injured in Oak Cliff 5-alarm apartment fire 

At least three people are dead after a fast-growing blaze engulfed an apartment complex in Oak Cliff Thursday afternoon. Two women and one child have been found in the wreckage of the fire, officials said Thursday evening. A recovery and excavation effort is expected to take place throughout the evening to identify any other victims.

Dallas Fire-Rescue officials said that as of around 7:00 p.m., roughly 35% of the building had been combed through by hand. They described the scene as “traumatic,” stating that, “with school being let out, and the possibilities of who might be in these apartments, it really weighs on the heart,” and added that it was unclear the number of additional individuals who may remain unaccounted for.

According to officials, crews were dispatched to an apartment complex at the corner of Patton Avenue and East 9th Street for a gas leak call around 12:47 p.m. Thursday. By the time firefighters arrived just minutes later, an explosion had taken place and a two-alarm fire was reported.

The inferno quickly devolved, and aaround 40 crews responded as the fire took over the entire complex. By mid-afternoon Thursday, it appeared that a majority of the two-story apartment structure had been incinerated and the second story had caved in. At its height, the blaze was ruled a five-alarm fire, the most severe classification that denotes a major infrastructure fire.

“It has been quite a challenge from the very beginning,” DFR officials told reporters during a press conference Thursday evening after the blaze was contained.

At the time, DFR warned community members that the operation had been shifted from “rescue mode to recovery mode,” and added that drones were being used to identify potential victims amongst the debris. Six residents were hospitalized with injuries, officials said, and one remained in critical but stable condition as of Thursday evening.

On social media, the Dallas County Democrats asked for support for Precinct Chair Sylvia Collins, who they identified as “among the unaccounted for.”

“Our hearts are heavy today,” the organization said. “Sylvia is a tireless advocate for our community. We are holding Sylvia, her family, and all those who love her close in our hearts as we await more information.”

There are at least 20 residential units in the building that was affected, county records show, and city leaders vowed to assist in rebuilding efforts. The Red Cross and Mission Oak Cliff have begun working with first responders to assess the needs of individuals affected by the fire. Displaced residents were placed in hotels by the city Thursday evening.

“We are going to do every single thing we have to do and need to do to make sure every family affected by this tragedy gets what they need,” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. “The most important thing right now is that we come together as a community.”

Ghassan “Gus” Khankarli, the director of the city’s department of transportation and public works, told reporters that the city was not involved in any gas line work in the area at the time of the explosion.

The Dallas Independent School District has confirmed that there were no injuries at W.H. Adamson High School, which is next door to the apartment complex. While Wednesday was the last day of school for students, some faculty members were on campus at the time the first started. A family reunification center has now been set up at the school.