A gas leak is the suspected source of a house explosion in Dallas that has left one child dead and four other people injured. Dallas fire officials ordered a mandatory evacuation of the six-block area surrounding the house located in the 3500 block of Espanola Drive as there have been two other gas-related incidents in the same neighborhood this week.
Jason Evans, a Dallas Fire and Rescue spokesman briefed local media this morning. This morning at around 6:30, fire crews received a call about a house explosion. When they arrived at the scene, the house was not on fire but had been severely damaged. Four people were standing in the yard waiting for help to arrive. One of them was holding a 12-year-old girl, later identified as Linda Rogers, in their arms. She was unresponsive. Firefighters immediately began life-saving measures including CPR and transported to her a hospital, he said.
She did not survive.
Three Gas Incidents in Three Days
There is no information on the status of the four family members who were injured. Nor is there information about the two other people who were injured in the two other incidents that occurred this week.
On Wednesday, February 21 around 6 a.m. fire crews got a call about a gas heater that exploded injuring one person. On Thursday, February 22 around 10 a.m. they responded to a call where one person had been injured when gas flared up from a stove. Both of those people went to the hospital for treatment.
Mandatory Evacuation Includes Elementary School
ATMOS Energy is working with Dallas Fire & Rescue to determine the cause of the problem. Dallas Fire & Rescue said initially this morning they ordered an evacuation of the block where the explosion occurred but expanded the evacuation area at the suggestion of ATMOS personnel.
The expanded evacuation area includes Stephen C. Foster Elementary School a bilingual campus with 725 students enrolled in Pre-K through 5th Grade.
News Sources:
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas-county/dfr-crews-on-scene-of-3rd-house-fire-in-same-neighborhood-this-week/522408385
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