Oak Cliff Gas Explosion Tied to Subcontractor Site Drilling
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New details of the circumstances leading up to last Thursday’s deadly explosion at an Oak Cliff multifamily building are surfacing, with reports indicating that some excavation related to soil analysis may have nicked a gas line.
Witnesses previously described seeing an active work crew outside The Clyde apartments at 409 E 9th St. City officials and the utility provider Atmos Energy both denied involvement, with the latter saying a natural gas pipeline was damaged by an unaffiliated “construction crew.” Now, Texas811 records reviewed by The Dallas Morning News point to some of the parties involved.
Texas811 is a nonprofit notification service that helps prevent damage to underground utilities. Before digging, homeowners and contractors can contact Texas811, which then notifies utility companies so they can locate and mark buried utility lines such as gas, electric, water, and telecommunications. You know, all those little colorful flags and spray paint that seem to pop up out of nowhere.
Records suggest a drill rig operated by Barba Drilling Co. damaged a gas line in front of the apartment building. The company, which launched operations in July 2024, provides geotechnical and environmental exploration drilling services. It was reportedly working as a subcontractor for ECS Limited, a national engineering and consulting outfit that was hired to assess the site’s soil, rock, and groundwater conditions. Such survey work is common before foundation design for new construction.
ECS Limited was contracted by O-SDA Industries, which is seeking to redevelop The Clyde and an adjacent property on the other side of the block into a single 82-unit multifamily complex. Megan Lasch, president of O-SDA Industries, told CoStar it planned on proceeding with the acquisition.
A request for utility line marking was submitted to Texas811 by an ECS Limited employee a week before the incident. ECS Limited told DMN that its personnel were not present when an explosion rocked the site and set The Clyde ablaze, but that the utility lines were marked before any drilling took place. The submission was related to four boring sites around the building, all outside.
“The number one cause of pipeline accidents aren’t the pipeline themselves, nearly two-thirds of all pipeline accidents come from excavation damage, meaning somebody is digging where they shouldn’t be digging,” said Brigham McCown, senior fellow and director of the Initiative on American Energy Security at the Hudson Institute, speaking with NBC 5.
Federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are looking into the incident, exploring what factors may have led to the gas line rupturing and igniting. A preliminary report is expected within two weeks. The investigation is being coordinated with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and Dallas Fire-Rescue arson investigators.
Meanwhile, the Oak Cliff community remains in mourning. Three people died in the explosion and subsequent fire: local activist and Democratic Party precinct chair Sylvia Collins, 38-year-old Marisol Perez, and Perez’s 18-month-old son Erik Jr. Perez’s 10-year-old daughter survived the blast, as did several others who were injured.
A survivor has already filed a lawsuit over the incident, claiming Atmos Energy was negligent in failing to adequately detect gas leaks, among other deficiencies related to utility safety. The plaintiff, Onecimo Ponce Mendoza, said he sustained burns, smoke inhalation, and other injuries, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Officials said an emergency call about a gas leak came in at 12:47 p.m. First responders arrived within two minutes, but the explosion occurred while they were en route, resulting in a five-alarm fire. Around 100 firefighters responded to the scene to fight the blaze, and a plume of smoke could be seen from as far as Tarrant County.
Residents and organizations have been stepping up to help support displaced residents of The Clyde. The city put them up in hotels in the immediate aftermath of the incident, and the Office of Housing & Community Empowerment with the assistance of partner groups will be moving impacted families into new housing units on Monday.
“Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of the Dallas community, the material needs of displaced residents have been met for the time being. If you would still like to help, you can support the Red Cross and Mission Oak Cliff online, who are continuing to make a difference on the ground,” said Mayor Eric Johnson in a Sunday newsletter.
“Personally, I am incredibly proud of how Dallas has responded to this tragedy, and I am touched by how quickly the Oak Cliff community came together to support their neighbors in need,” he added.
