Update to original story – 3:36 pm, May 28, 2026: At a press update shortly after 3:00 p.m., city leaders said that a gas leak call was received at 12:47 p.m., prior to the explosion. Soon afterward, the explosion and fire were reported. The blaze was later upgraded to a five-alarm fire, but Dallas Fire-Rescue officials said the fire was contained at the time of the presser. No information was provided on possible fatalities. Mayor Eric Johnson asked the community to pray for the firefighters and all those impacted by the explosion and fire. A family reunification center has been set up at W.H. Adamson High School at 309 East Ninth Street.
***
Firefighters battled a large blaze Thursday afternoon at an apartment complex in Oak Cliff after a reported explosion sent flames and thick black smoke into the air.
Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to the fire around 1:15 p.m. near the intersection of East Ninth Street and North Patton Avenue, as reported by Fox 4 KDFW. The address corresponds to the El Ricardo apartment building, located east of the Bishop Arts district, north of the Dallas Zoo, and south of downtown.
Officials said at least four people were taken to the hospital, but their condition is unknown. Authorities warned that additional victims were possible depending on how many residents were inside the building at the time.
Dallas Fire-Rescue deployed a third-alarm response that later escalated to a fourth-alarm incident, with nearly 100 firefighters and more than 70 units responding to the scene, per CBS News.
Video from the area showed heavy flames consuming part of the building as smoke rose high above the neighborhood. Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion before people began fleeing the complex.
NOW: 4th alarm requested after gas explosion at apartment building in Oak Cliff, Dallas; 1 injured as number of victims could rise. pic.twitter.com/sfx8Mzh6nI
— Scope Report (@ScopeReport_) May 28, 2026
Neighbors told reporters they felt their own apartments shake after the blast. One witness said he heard a “huge boom” and saw residents running and yelling outside. He also said a man helped rescue a girl from one of the buildings.
Dallas Fire-Rescue said the fire was believed to have started after an explosion, but officials emphasized that the cause had not yet been confirmed. Investigators were continuing to work to determine what triggered the incident.
