Gas explosion at Dallas apartment complex injures 8, including 4 firefighters

Eight people, including four firefighters, were taken to a hospital after an explosion at a Dallas apartment complex Wednesday morning, officials said.

Firefighters responded to a 911 call around 10:30 a.m. for a gas leak and arrived to "a strong smell of gas," Dallas Fire Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans said.

"At some point during the course of the investigation, an explosion took place," he said.

The explosion caused a partial collapse of the two-story apartment building, Evans said.

Four firefighters and four civilians were injured and taken to a hospital, Evans said. Three of the firefighters were in critical condition and one was stable, he said. The civilians were all stable, he said.

One of the firefighters was discharged Wednesday evening, the department said on Twitter.

"This is a terrible situation," Mayor Eric Johnson said on Twitter. "Please pray for our firefighters and for the civilians who have been injured."

Video and photos shared by local news outlets show one completely collapsed portion of at least one building in the complex.

The police department blocked the streets surrounding the area, said Juan Fernandez, Dallas Police Department spokesperson.

The explosion is under investigation, with the fire department working with local, state and federal agencies, Evans said.

"Right now, our investigators are launching drones to try to get a bird’s-eye view of the structure," he said.

Everyone in the building was accounted for Wednesday afternoon, Evans said.