Unmarked gas line blamed for fatal Dallas apartment explosion, NTSB preliminary report reveals
Families lose belongings, loved ones in Dallas explosion
An explosion at a Dallas apartment complex has left at least three people dead and many without their belongings, pets or a place to call home. FOX 4's Amelia Jones and David Sentendrey have more about the ongoing recovery efforts and what residents are saying about the tragedy.
DALLAS - A newly released preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals that an underground natural gas line was left unmarked prior to a fatal apartment building explosion in Dallas in late May.
NTSB report on Dallas apartment explosion
What we know:
The May 28 explosion and subsequent fire at 409 East 9th Street completely destroyed the apartment structure, killing three people and injuring at least six others. The blast also forced the emergency evacuation of eight nearby single-family homes and three adjacent apartment buildings.
Dallas gas explosion at apartment complex leaves 3 dead, sends multiple others to hospital
A suspected gas explosion and fire were reported on Thursday at an apartment building in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. Officials confirmed that at least three people were killed in the explosion, including a child.
According to federal investigators, a third-party contractor, Barba Drilling, was operating a drill rig for soil sampling near the apartment building on behalf of Engineering and Consulting Services Southwest, LLP (ECS) on the morning of the disaster. Although ECS had submitted a legally required Texas 811 utility-locating ticket on May 21, a week prior to the incident, the specific natural gas line that was struck had not been identified or marked by locators.
Timeline:
The report outlines a tight timeline leading up to the explosion. Dallas Fire-Rescue first responded to a reported natural gas leak at 12:49 p.m. Two minutes later, at 12:51 p.m., fire officials notified the region's natural gas provider, Atmos Energy Corporation, that a line had been cut.
The deadly explosion happened at approximately 1:15 p.m. Atmos crews arrived on the scene five minutes later, at 1:20 p.m., and began working to isolate the leak.
To stop the flow of gas to the building, Atmos technicians performed a hydraulic "squeeze off" technique to flatten the 4-inch polyethylene main line. Crews completed the first pipe squeeze at 2:09 p.m. and the second at 2:41 p.m. Investigators noted that the natural gas main and the connected service lines were originally installed in 1988.
What's next:
The NTSB's investigation into the exact cause of the explosion remains ongoing. Several agencies and entities are participating as parties to the federal probe, including the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Railroad Commission of Texas, Dallas Fire-Rescue, Atmos Energy Corporation, Environmental Consulting Services, Limited, and USIC Locating Services, LLC.
The Source: Information in this article is from the NTSB and previous reporting.