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Steve Kherkher - September 30, 2026
For residents of an apartment building, a natural gas leak can be frightening. Unlike many hazards inside a home, residents often have little control over the utility lines, meters, or other infrastructure serving the property. That concern was brought into focus twice this month in Dallas.
On September 28, two contract workers were injured during maintenance work near the Alexan Riveredge Apartments in Dallas’ Design District. Dallas Fire-Rescue said a contractor was pressure testing a gas line when the line “somehow exploded during the process.” Both contractors were taken to the hospital. One remains in critical condition.
The incident is the second in less than two weeks involving natural gas. On September 19, hundreds of residents in the same area were evacuated following a natural gas leak. Dallas Fire-Rescue said it could not determine whether Monday’s incident was related to the earlier leak. Atmos Energy stated that the September 28 testing involved air rather than natural gas.
For workers, residents, and families, these incidents raise broader questions about gas-line safety, maintenance, emergency response, and what options may be available when someone is injured. At Kherkher Garcia, our Atmos Energy accident attorneys help residents, workers, and families affected by gas-related incidents. We know how overwhelming injuries are, especially when you are facing a large utility company. We are not afraid to stand up for your rights.
Dallas Fire-Rescue, Dallas Police, and Atmos Energy responded early Monday morning to the area near 1200 Turtle Creek Boulevard, where a contractor was reportedly conducting pressure testing on a pipeline. According to Dallas Fire-Rescue, the line exploded during the testing process, injuring two workers in the immediate area.
Atmos Energy provided a different but complementary description of the event. The company said it was performing routine maintenance on a pipeline and that the process involved testing the line with air, not natural gas. Atmos also said natural gas service to the area was not affected and that there was no damage to its pipeline.
At this stage, the precise cause of the incident is under investigation.
The latest incident happened in the same area where hundreds of residents were displaced by a separate gas leak nine days earlier. On September 18, Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to the Alexan Riveredge Apartments after Atmos Energy crews discovered an outdoor natural gas leak during an inspection. The complex contains 325 units and was approximately 90% occupied at the time. Although officials reported no gas readings inside the building, residents were evacuated as a precaution and power to the building was shut off.
Atmos Energy subsequently capped the affected lines and stopped the active leak. Air monitoring continued before residents were allowed to return. The fact that another pipeline-related incident occurred in the same area days later has understandably caused concern among some residents.
Natural gas is commonly used in homes and apartment buildings for cooking, heating, and other purposes. When gas escapes from a pipeline, appliance, meter, or other part of a system, however, it can create a serious hazard if the gas accumulates and encounters an ignition source.
Natural gas is odorized to make leaks easier to detect. That’s why people report a “rotten egg” smell when natural gas is present. It is recommended to use multiple senses to recognize a possible leak, including looking for blowing dust, bubbling water, or dead vegetation near a gas line and listening for hissing, whistling, or roaring sounds.
But apartment residents don’t always get multiple warning signs. Apartment residents often only learn of a possible leak once something has happened or the fire department arrives.
Apartment residents may not always know when maintenance or testing is occurring around their buildings. Gas infrastructure can include underground pipelines, service lines, meters, regulators, valves, and other components. Maintenance and testing may involve utility employees or contractors working in areas close to homes and apartment buildings.
Knowing what to do before an emergency occurs can make a difference. Apartment residents should be mindful of:
Do not assume that because you cannot smell gas, the building is necessarily safe. A person’s ability to detect odor can be affected by factors including odor fatigue and other conditions.
Determining legal responsibility after a gas-related incident requires examining the specific facts. Depending on the circumstances, potentially relevant parties could include:
A company being involved in a gas-line incident does not, by itself, establish that the company was legally responsible. An investigation will examine who owned or controlled the relevant infrastructure, who performed the work, what procedures were followed, what equipment was used, and whether other factors contributed to the incident.
Workers involved in pipeline maintenance and utility work face serious hazards. Depending on the circumstances and applicable laws, an injured worker may have rights via workers’ compensation, non-subscriber work injury claims, or claims involving third parties. The distinction can be particularly important when a worker is employed by a contractor performing work for a larger utility or property owner. The existence and scope of any potential third-party claim depend on the specific facts, employment relationships, insurance coverage, and applicable law. The family of a worker killed in a gas-related incident may also have legal rights.
Residents face different legal questions. If a gas leak, explosion, fire, or other incident causes injuries to residents or damages their property, potential claims may depend on what caused the incident and the responsibilities of the parties involved. Potential legal issues may include:
For Texas apartment residents, state law also addresses certain landlord obligations concerning conditions that materially affect an ordinary tenant’s physical health or safety. A gas leak or evacuation does not automatically mean that a landlord, utility, contractor, or another party is legally responsible. Those questions require a fact-specific investigation.
Gas-related incidents can produce different types of injuries depending on whether a person is exposed to escaping gas, fire, an explosion, or a combination of hazards. Potential injuries may include:
Even people who are not directly in the path of an explosion may suffer injuries while attempting to evacuate a building. Additionally, the long-term effects can extend beyond the initial emergency. Serious burns, respiratory injuries, traumatic injuries, and other catastrophic conditions may require extended hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, or ongoing medical care.
At Kherkher Garcia, our attorneys represent workers, residents, and families involved in serious gas-related accidents, explosions, industrial incidents, and catastrophic injuries. Our firm has handled matters involving natural gas pipelines, apartment explosions, workplace accidents, and other incidents involving complex utility and industrial systems. The Kherkher Garcia team has represented Dallas residents in cases involving complex incidents and injuries. Our experience includes representing an apartment resident in litigation arising from the 2026 Clyde Apartments explosion.
Our attorneys can help victims and families understand the potential legal options that may be available based on the facts of their situation.
Leave the building or affected area immediately. From a safe location, call 911 and the gas utility’s emergency number.
Yes. Even when emergency personnel do not detect gas inside every unit, officials may evacuate an apartment building as a precaution while the source of a leak is identified and addressed.
Yes. A gas-related incident can potentially cause injuries through several mechanisms, including fire, explosion, inhalation, or injuries sustained while evacuating.
Depending on the circumstances, a utility company, contractor, property owner, property manager, equipment manufacturer, or another party could potentially be involved.
Potentially. If a gas leak or explosion causes personal injury, property damage, or other legally recognized losses, an injured resident may have potential claims.
The latest Dallas pipeline incident is still developing, and investigators have not publicly established what caused the pressure-testing event or whether it had any connection to the earlier natural gas leak. For the workers who were injured, their families, and residents who have experienced repeated disruptions and concerns about gas safety, the effects are significant.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a natural gas leak, pipeline accident, gas explosion, or workplace gas-line incident, Kherkher Garcia can help. Our team provides free consultations to help you understand your rights and potential legal options.
To start your free consultation right now, call Kherkher Garcia at 713-333-1030. To request more information or schedule a consultation, submit our online contact form.
Steve Kherkher is passionate about serving his clients. He has dedicated his life to championing the rights of those who have experienced catastrophic injury due to negligence.
Steve Kherkher, along with Trial Lawyer Jesus Garcia, founded Kherkher Garcia, and under their leadership, the firm achieved unprecedented success within its first three years.
With a career spanning over 35 years, Steve’s tireless pursuit of justice for his clients has earned him national recognition and numerous accolades as an exemplary trial attorney.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorneys Steve Kherkher and Jesus Garcia Jr., who have more than 50 years of combined legal experience championing the rights of those who have experienced catastrophic injury due to negligence.
Connect with a Kherkher Garcia trial lawyer today to pursue maximum compensation for your injury.
