Cause of Catastrophic Dallas Apartment Complex Explosion Finally Revealed

The cause of the catastrophic Dallas apartment complex explosion was finally revealed 20 days after the blast. The explosion seriously injured three firefighters, who were all hospitalized for an extended period of time. One other firefighter and four people at the complex at the time of the blast were also injured, albeit less seriously. A stunning 350 residents were displaced for extended periods of time, a good percentage of these individuals have still not been able to return home. On top of it all, while away from their Oak Cliff apartments, many of these people found that their residences had been burglarized and they had been robbed.

Bizarre Turn of Events Reveals Cause of Dallas Apartment Complex Explosion

What can fairly be classified as a rather bizarre turn of events is at the heart of the cause of the devastating Dallas apartment complex explosion. Authorities have announced some of the basic facts surrounding what they now understand to be the case of the Oak Cliff apartment complex explosion:

• The night before the Dallas apartment complex explosion, an unidentified woman and her minor son were hiding from her boyfriend in a unit at Oak Cliff.
• The child is 8-months-old and the woman is pregnant with another child.
• The boyfriend is identified as the father of the unborn child as well.
• The boyfriend, identified as Phillip Dankins, discovered where his girlfriend and son where within the complex.
• Dankins fired a shot into the apartment unit.
• The bullet did no hit any of the occupants of the apartment.
• Rather, the bullet pierced a stove in the unit, resulting in a gas leak.
• Ultimately, multiple people at the complex complained about a strong smell of natural gas in one of the buildings at the location.
• The following day, while firefighters were at the apartment complex seeking the cause of the smell of natural gas at the premises, the leak ignited and the massive blast ensued.
• The explosion occurred at about 10:30 on the morning after Dankins fired into the apartment in question.

By happenstance, following the evening in which Dankins fired a shot into the apartment unit at Oak Cliff, Dankins himself was arrested and booked into the Dallas County Jail on other unrelated charges. In addition to whatever charges brought resulted in his arrest in early October, Dankins is now also charged with seven counts of deadly conduct. Bail in the matter of the deadly conduct charges has been set at $450,000.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson issued a statement via Twitter this morning (October 20, 2021) about the investigation’s conclusion. His remarks stated, in part: “domestic violence tears families apart. In this case, it also destroyed homes, displaced residents, and injured our firefighters. This shows why we must fight against this scourge.”

There remain some residents of the apartment complex that are not yet permitted to return to their homes. In addition to the units that were destroyed in the blast, gas service has been an issue as has waiting on results of examination of the structural stability of some of the buildings within the complex.

If you’ve suffered injuries or losses as a result of the Dallas apartment complex explosion, the legal team at The Doan Law Firm is available to answer your questions and explain your legal rights. Our firm set up a Dallas explosion accident lawyer hotline at (214) 307-0000 after the catastrophic blast. We keep the telephone line staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week (including major holidays) to meet your important needs.

We can schedule a consultation with a Dallas explosion accident attorney from our firm any time that is convenient to you. Our offices are located at:

The Doan Law Firm

2911 Turtle Creek Boulevard

Suite 300

Dallas, Texas 75219

(214) 307-0000

We can arrange an appointment at any other location convenient for you. A virtual consultation with a Dallas explosion accident lawyer can be set online as well. There is never a charge for an initial consultation with a member of our legal team

The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee guarantee to you. Our firm will never charge a fee in your case unless we obtain a favorable settlement or judgment for you. Our firm is committed to fighting tirelessly to obtain justice and compensation that you deserve.