An explosion engulfed a Dallas apartment building in a massive and deadly blaze on Thursday while firefighters were on their way to a reported gas leak, and three people were killed, officials said. Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans announced the fatalities at an evening news conference. Authorities would not provide an immediate number of how many missing people they were looking for hours after dozens of firefighters had brought the flames under control. At least four injured people went to hospitals, according to Dallas-Fire Rescue. It was unclear how many residents lived in the two-story building in the Oak Cliff neighbourhood of Dallas.

Some residents' friends and relatives worried as they tried unsuccessfully to reach each loved ones. "There have been fatalities at this point," Dallas Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Mark Berry said at a news conference, adding the mission has changed from rescue to recovery. "Let us work through the recovery phase and get a total number." Dozens of firefighters searched through the smoldering rubble of the building on the outskirts of downtown Dallas, even as colleagues continued to drench the blackened debris. Berry said firefighters were responding to a call of a gas leak when an explosion happened. "We had the cavalry coming," Berry said.