In Oak Cliff, hundreds gathered outside W. H. Adamson High School on Friday to mourn and support neighbors after a Thursday explosion at The Clyde apartment complex left at least three people dead and five injured. Dallas Fire-Rescue suspended search operation
When the search crews finally stopped digging through the debris. the noise didn’t quiet in Oak Cliff—it just changed shape. By Friday, more than 100 people gathered outside W. H. Adamson High School, bringing flowers and candles to the sidewalk as grief settled into the neighborhood after Thursday’s blast.
Dallas Fire-Rescue had responded about 12:45 p.m. Thursday to a reported gas leak at The Clyde apartments in the 400 block of East Ninth Street, near Patton Avenue. An explosion sent the complex up in flames, and Dallas Fire-Rescue classified it as a five-alarm fire. Officials said at least three people died and several were injured after the blast at an apartment building in north Oak Cliff.
Early Friday, Chief Justin Ball said all residents were accounted for shortly before 1 p.m. He said 19 units had been occupied at the time of the explosion and that the cause had not yet been determined. Ball also said names of the deceased would not be released until their relatives were notified. though family and friends had identified one person as Dallas County Democratic Party precinct chair Sylvia Collins.
By the time Friday afternoon press conferences began, the mission shifted from rescue to investigation—and then, for many residents, to support. Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Justin Ball announced that search operations had been suspended as officials focused on the federal probe.
Ball said responding crews followed safety protocols before trying to enter the building. Firefighters had to determine where the gas leak was coming from. secure a water supply and put on protective gear before beginning evacuations. He added that for Dallas Fire-Rescue to have done anything sooner would have ended the same way. with the addition of first responders being injured or even dead.
City officials moved in parallel. Kevin Oden. director for the city of Dallas’s office of integrated public safety solutions. said officials were working Friday to move residents into longer-term. stable housing. preferably by the weekend. Oden said the city’s housing department had identified enough available units and was making an effort to place people without adding a financial burden. “We want to support these families as best we can,” he said.
At 9:45 a.m. Friday. the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Crisis Response issued a final all-clear after search and rescue operations took place overnight. The property was secured for the ongoing federal investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives remained at the scene.
Councilwoman Laura Cadena said 10 families were being supported and accommodated in local hotels. and the city was making sure “all current impacted resident needs are met.” Cadena said the city’s housing and community empowerment department was working to address permanent housing needs and “reduce financial burdens for affected residents. ” with more details to be released later.
Community groups quickly stepped into the gap. Mission Oak Cliff, an outreach initiative by Cliff Temple Baptist Church, launched a donation drive immediately Friday. Pat Packard, a volunteer who said he has been involved since 2019, described a rush of aid that arrived within hours. “My first call after seeing the devastation was ‘What are we doing?’” Packard said. Gesturing at dozens of people unpacking donations, he added, “The Oak Cliff community, as always, rallies to help their neighbors. That’s what we’re all about.”.
The church planned to be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 1-4 to accept donations including water, non-perishable food items, clothing, baby formula and diapers, and gift cards. Organizers also said the effort was meant to meet immediate needs while federal investigators worked to determine what caused the blast.
Dallas Animal Services was deployed as well, sending resources including crates, food and blankets for displaced pets. Several animals had already been reunited with their owners, and patrols were working to find remaining lost animals.
Outside the school, the vigil lasted about an hour. Oscar Rodriguez. the school’s principal. told the crowd. “Adamson belongs to all of us.” He described the campus as “a neighborhood hub” and “a safe place for not only our students. but our community members.” Flowers were handed out in memory of those who died. while candles were distributed to attendees.
Speakers and community members offered condolences and urged the neighborhood to keep showing up for people affected by the explosion. Eric Folkerth, pastor of Kessler Park United Methodist Church, told the crowd, “We want you to know that we will show up for you again and again and again.”
While the vigil held space for loss, the investigation turned on hard questions: how a gas leak became an explosion, and who may have been responsible for the conditions leading to it.
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed it expected a team of eight investigators to arrive Friday afternoon to document the scene and conduct an initial examination of the pipeline and equipment involved. In its statement. the NTSB said officials were told a contractor reportedly damaged an Atmos Energy underground natural gas pipeline before the explosion. Investigators said they would assess the scene based on human factors, the pipeline system and the operating environment. The statement said the cause and contributing factors would be detailed in a final report expected to take 12 to 24 months to complete. It also said NTSB investigators would not determine or speculate about the cause during the on-scene phase.
The NTSB said anyone with videos or information that could be relevant could contact witness@ntsb.gov.
Not everyone will wait for that timeline. Kherkher Garcia. a Houston-based catastrophic law firm. filed a lawsuit against Atmos Energy Corporation on Friday in connection with the explosion and subsequent fire. The complaint was filed in Dallas County Court on behalf of Onecimo Ponce Mendoza. a resident of The Clyde apartment complex. The complaint said Mendoza, who works nights, was trapped in the blaze and suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation.
The lawsuit alleges Atmos Energy. which supplies natural gas to the complex. failed to properly monitor conditions despite knowing the risks and also failed to warn residents of potential dangers associated with a natural gas leak. It seeks monetary damages related to pain and suffering, impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, medical expenses and more. Jesus Garcia, Jr., a founding partner at Kherkher Garcia, said the firm was prepared to “aggressively fight for Mr. Ponce Mendoza and all victims” to ensure Atmos Energy is held accountable while recovering maximum damages.
An Atmos Energy spokesperson’s account was not the only one in the mix. Dallas authorities had not confirmed the cause of the explosion. Geoff Henley. a Dallas attorney representing the property owner. said a contractor was drilling into the ground when it struck a gas line. Henley said it was unclear whether the crew requested utility locators to mark underground lines through 811 Locate. He said state law requires anyone planning to dig deeper than 16 inches to notify 811 at least 48 hours in advance so underground utilities can be marked.
“Gas lines are buried very deep,” Henley said. “This is not supposed to happen.” He added that if the contractor did not notify 811 or dug outside the scope of its plan, it would be considered gross negligence, calling the situation “absolutely catastrophic.”
Henley’s remarks came as the scene—still fenced off—remained under federal investigation. In the days leading up to the blast. the property was set for change: the site of The Clyde had been set to be redeveloped by O-SDA Industries. LLC into low-income housing for seniors. according to state records.
After The Dallas Morning News asked O-SDA president Megan Lasch for an interview. she sent a statement by email saying her company was in the process of purchasing the Clyde property and would “closely follow and cooperate in the investigation into the cause of this tragedy.” Lasch said O-SDA was also working with other property owners and service agencies to help secure housing and address the needs of displaced residents. “Our prayers go out to all of those affected by yesterday’s explosion. ” she said. adding. “We applaud the courage and diligence of all first responders.”.
Lasch said it was unclear whether construction will move forward as previously planned. She also said that at the time of the explosion. the property was two months away—pending state approval—from a planned change in ownership. O-SDA Industries. an Austin-based affordable housing developer. had applied for state-allocated tax credits to purchase and reconstruct The Clyde and a nearby apartment called The Bonnie into 82 apartments for low-income seniors. The plan. Lasch said. meant current residents would have been permanently displaced. with a preference to return if they met income requirements.
Long before authorities shifted from rescue to investigation, residents described the moment the ground shook. Estefania Herrera. who lives at a neighboring apartment property. said she heard a worker mention a pipeline minutes before the blast. Herrera said she had just returned from work and was walking across the street to pick up her children from a friend’s apartment when she heard. “The pipeline. the gas pipeline.”.
Herrera said the next moments were chaos. “Within minutes. Herrera said. everything shook.” She ran outside. saw an apartment building across the street explode. and later saw a young girl climb out from beneath debris. Herrera said she yelled for the child not to move and tried to draw firefighters’ attention. but was afraid another explosion could hurt or kill her—leaving her own children without their mother.
A man then ran across the street, grabbed the girl and carried her to safety, Herrera said. She described another burst of fire after the child was placed on the grass.
Those early hours were marked by intense response. Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Justin Ball said 125 firefighters were dispatched to the scene. and that none of them were hurt from the explosion. He said firefighters not only responded to the blast at the apartment complex, but also evacuated residents from neighboring buildings. Ball said the department’s next steps were to continue the investigation with federal agencies.
“Now that the scene has slowed down, it’s time to find out why it happened,” Ball said.
In Oak Cliff, the vigil outside W. H. Adamson High School offered a reminder that even as investigators move toward answers. the community is still living inside the aftermath—counting names. distributing supplies. and holding onto a single shared demand: that what happened is understood. and that those affected are not left behind.
Oak Cliff vigil Dallas Fire-Rescue The Clyde apartments gas leak explosion National Transportation Safety Board Atmos Energy W. H. Adamson High School Mission Oak Cliff donations Sylvia Collins