A devastating fire engulfed a two-story apartment building in Dallas on Thursday, resulting in fatalities and injuries, with search efforts for missing individuals still underway, a fire official reported.
Massive Response and Fatalities
The blaze generated enormous plumes of black smoke visible across the city and prompted a significant firefighter response. Dallas Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Mark Berry confirmed at a news conference that there have been fatalities, noting that the mission has shifted from rescue to recovery. "Let us work through the recovery phase and get a total number," he said.
Dozens of firefighters combed through the smoldering rubble of the building on the outskirts of downtown Dallas Thursday afternoon, even as colleagues continued to drench the blackened debris.
Cause Under Investigation
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but Assistant Chief James Russ of Dallas Fire-Rescue stated during an earlier news conference that the blaze ignited after someone reported a gas leak. Neighbors reported hearing a loud boom resembling an explosion. Russ mentioned that at least four people were taken to a hospital with injuries and that "it is unknown how many possible fatalities we may have."
Firefighters rushed to the scene as flames and black smoke billowed into the sky. Some trained hoses on piles of smoking debris while others removed lumber and burned wreckage to search for anyone trapped underneath. Little more than a blackened shell of the original building remained.
"The fire is contained, but our members are still working on the scene to do primary searches," Russ said.
A nearby street was lined with firetrucks, ambulances, and police vehicles with flashing lights.
Witness Accounts
Julie Jensen, who lives less than a block from the burning building, described hearing an explosion-like noise that left her ears ringing. "I was sitting on my couch watching TV — stuff flew off our walls," Jensen said. She saw rising smoke and neighbors running when she looked out the window, grabbed her family's cat, and evacuated to a nearby parking lot to wait for safety.
Sal De La Rosa was working at a nearby auto repair shop when "all of a sudden we just heard and felt this huge boom." He said the building shook slightly, and a co-worker saw thick black smoke rising into the air.
Associated Press journalists Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.
