05/29/2026
Please see the most recent update regarding the 9th Street fire, below. Feel free to contact our office with any questions.
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On behalf of the Office of Emergency Management & Crisis Response, the following is a situation update regarding the 9th Street Apartment response that occurred yesterday, May 28, 2026. The City has transitioned from active life-safety operations to the investigation and recovery phase, with interdepartmental coordination ongoing.
Search and rescue operations have concluded and the site is being secured for investigation. Federal investigative partners (NTSB and ATF) are on site and the investigation is underway. The City's focus has shifted to supporting displaced residents, managing public information, and coordinating recovery resources.
Current Objectives
1. Secure and preserve the incident site in support of the ongoing investigation.
2. Maintain unified and consistent public messaging regarding the investigation, resident needs, and donations management.
3. Maintain active engagement with all displaced families to identify and address immediate, mid-term, and long-term needs.
4. Ensure sustained interdepartmental coordination across all City departments involved in the response and recovery.
Current Response Actions
Site Security and Investigation
• Dallas Fire-Rescue concluded search and rescue operations overnight, with search and rescue operations completing through the early morning hours and a final all-clear issued at 9:45 AM.
• ATF and NTSB are on site. The property is being secured and preserved by Code Compliance for the ongoing federal investigation.
• Dallas Police Department is maintaining traffic control at the scene and providing drone support for site security and situational awareness.
• Transportation & Public Works, Sanitation Services, and Dallas Water Utilities heavy equipment support was instrumental during response operations.
• A water main damaged due to stress from response activities has been repaired by Dallas Water Utilities, and the surrounding system is being actively monitored for any additional stress breaks.
Impacted Resident Support
• Ten families are currently being supported by the City in hotel accommodations. The City has ensured that all current impacted resident needs are met.
• The city's Crisis Intervention Team continues outreach to displaced families, and vital records assistance has been initiated to help replace identification documents.
• Yesterday, in partnership with Dallas ISD, a Family Reunification Center was established at W. H. Adamson High School to provide residents a place of respite and where reunification of families could begin to occur.
• The City’s Housing and Community Empowerment Department is working with families and properties in the area to address permanent housing needs, including efforts to reduce financial burdens for affected residents, with details to be announced.
• Dallas Animal Services deployed resources to the affected area, including crates, food, and blankets for displaced animals. Several animals have been reunited with their owners, and patrols are continuing to locate and secure any remaining loose animals in the area.
Donations Management
• Yesterday, community organizations based in the affected area received an outpouring of support from the community, including donations of goods. We greatly appreciate the tremendous efforts made by these organizations to serve those impacted.
• All current basic needs for residents are able to be met with current resources. The city and our partners ask that you help us share the message that no additional material donations are needed at this time.
Public Communications
• The City is managing a high volume of public and media inquiries, including questions related to permitting, the status of any criminal investigation, and open records requests. These items are being addressed by an inter-departmental team to provide accurate information as it becomes available.
• A press briefing to update the media on the latest developments in the response and investigation is being planned for this afternoon. Further details will be shared when the time and location is confirmed.
Intergovernmental Coordination
• The City is actively communicating with state and federal officials who have reached out following the incident and providing regular updates.
Below is the official incident timeline for this event.
• 12:47pm: DFR units were assigned to a gas leak call.
• 12:49pm: The Engine arrived at the scene. First responders made contact with the contractor workers on scene to confirm that there was a gas line that had been punctured. First responders began the process of securing a safe perimeter after confirming the presence of an active gas leak.
• 1:15pm: After moving their unit to a safe distance and deploying hose lines as a backup safety measure, they identified the need for additional resources so that evacuation of the apartment building could begin.
• 1:16pm: While the additional one alarm units were enroute, the explosion occurred. Crews then began immediate life-safety measures.
• 1:17pm: A 2nd Alarm response was requested.
• 1:22pm: Atmos Energy was notified of the gas leak and subsequent explosion.
• 1:37pm: A 3rd Alarm response was requested.
• 2:10pm: A 4th Alarm response was requested.
• 3:06pm: A 5th Alarm response was requested for manpower only.
EMCR will continue coordinating response operations through the Emergency Operations Center escalation line, which will remain active throughout the weekend, and will provide additional updates should conditions change.
