A judge on Monday ordered Atmos Energy to preserve evidence from a deadly Oak Cliff gas explosion, hours after a survivor blamed the utility in court filings of multiple failures leading up to the blast.
The filings, part of a lawsuit first filed in late May, allege the company failed to repair repeated gas leaks, replace an aging plastic pipeline long linked to leaks and explosions and properly mark underground gas lines before drilling was to take place at the site.
In a statement, Atmos disputed that one of the types of pipe material highlighted in the filing as problematic was present at the site, and said it hired a professional line locator to find the gas line before the explosion. The utility did not respond to questions about the restraining order, but had previously said in emails included in court documents that it was abiding by its “preservation obligations.”
Dallas Fire-Rescue was responding May 28 to a reported gas leak at The Clyde apartments on East 9th Street, near Patton Avenue, when an explosion sparked a fire. Three people died; at least five others were injured. It was Dallas’ deadliest gas-related accident since 2018, when an explosion in northwest Dallas killed a 12-year-old girl.
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Body camera video shows a Dallas County deputy constable trying to move a driverless Waymo vehicle as first responders arrived at the scene of a deadly gas explosion in Oak Cliff. The deputy says the vehicle delayed access for emergency crews, while officials and Waymo say questions about interactions with first responders deserve further review. NBC 5’s Candace Sweat has more.