Residents of a Dallas apartment complex were evacuated Friday night and remained displaced through Saturday evening due to an outdoor gas leak. Atmos Energy successfully capped two gas lines and halted the leak by late Saturday. However, an official timeline for when residents can return has not been provided, and gas service to both the building and nearby businesses may be unavailable until Tuesday.
The evacuation occurred at the Alexan Riveredge Apartments, located on Turtle Creek Boulevard, after Atmos Energy crews identified the leak during a routine inspection. Dallas Fire-Rescue was called to the scene at 7:23 p.m. on Friday. Although no gas readings were detected within the building, which was approximately 90% occupied, all residents were evacuated, and power was shut off while the Atmos teams worked to contain the situation.
This incident followed an earlier fire at the complex on the same day. Firefighters responded to a kitchen fire in a fourth-floor apartment at 3:06 p.m., which was extinguished rapidly with the help of the building’s sprinkler system. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries, and officials stated that the fire was not linked to the gas leak.
The Office of Emergency Management and Crisis Response played a key role in assisting with crowd control and providing support to displaced residents. DART supplied buses to offer a cool environment for those affected while the situation was being managed. Most residents successfully retrieved their vehicles and secured hotel accommodations, while the American Red Cross provided overnight lodging for five individuals.
Apartment management is compiling a contact list of tenants who may require further assistance beyond their temporary arrangements. This information is being coordinated with the Office of Emergency Management and Crisis Response.
In the course of isolating the original 16-inch gas main, Atmos technicians discovered a parallel 3-inch main that also required purging. As a result, both the apartment complex and six businesses on Levee Street could experience gas service interruptions until Tuesday.
By 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Atmos Energy had capped both gas lines and stopped the active leak. Following this, crews initiated a standard two-hour air monitoring process to assess the safety of restoring power and allowing residents to return. As of Saturday evening, no announcements had been made regarding when residents would be permitted back into their homes.
