1 dead, 5 injured after West Dallas townhome collapses

DALLAS - The strong winds and heavy rain took down some townhomes under construction in West Dallas, killing one of the construction workers and injuring five others.

The three-story wooden structure in the 2600 block of Borger Street collapsed around the time strong storms moved through the area just after 4 p.m. It was in the Trinity Greens development.

Several workers were trapped when the townhomes' wood frame gave way. Dallas Fire-Rescue crews sent in search and rescue teams.

It was toward the end of the work day as rain started falling when the collapse happened. People who live in the area describe hearing a loud bang. But because of the downpour, they couldn’t see what had happened. Then, they heard sirens.

Dogs sniffed for any survivors trapped under wood beams after the structure collapsed. One person died. A man who said he was the victim’s father showed up to the scene and was comforted.

“It’s very tragic. I feel sorry for the family,” said neighbor Daniel Macias.

Rescue teams were able to pull five survivors out. They were taken to area hospitals with injuries that are not life threatening.

“I’m just praying that hopefully the company will be able to help the family,” Macias said.

Dallas Fire-Rescue says there were as many as 30 construction workers on the property when the collapse happened. Authorities have not named the construction company nor said whether workers were told to seek shelter when it started storming.

“Had it been a structure like the one next to us where it’s completely done, with dry wall, with brick, with insulation, to have all that additional material collapse in on top of everyone, that would’ve made it that much harder to not only see them, but access them,” said Jason Evans with Dallas Fire-Rescue.

The town homes next to it also started swaying. Engineers were brought to the scene to evaluate both structures before the body of the worker killed could be removed.

“What they want to do right now is make sure that structure still has its integrity and decide whether it also needs to be taken down or whether they can move forward with the project as it stands,” Evans said.

“It’s tragic,” Macias said. “And it could’ve been worse."

Dallas Fire Rescue will not investigate what caused this structure to collapse. That is up to the company.