Dallas Fire Chief Justin Ball says everyone who lived at the apartment building destroyed by a natural gas-fueled explosion on Thursday has been accounted for. Ball confirmed Friday that three people were killed and five others were injured. Two of the victims were in one residence, and the third fatality was in another residence. DFR said Thursday night that the three people killed included two women and a child. The chief said firefighters searched the building until about 2 a.m. Friday by hand, with drones and with cadaver dogs. Ball said they obtained a list of occupants from apartment management and confirmed that all known residents of the 19 rented residences had been accounted for. “There is nobody unaccounted for, or we’d still be searching. We’ve had no one come to us and say our family member is missing right now. I would never guarantee that there’s not someone, because you never know who might have been around, may have been inside … and we believe this is it.” The chief confirmed the initial call was for a gas leak and that firefighters arrived within two minutes. He said firefighters were following a safety protocol that took about 10-15 minutes, and that the explosion occurred as firefighters were preparing to enter the building. Justin Ball, chief of the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department. “You don’t just rush in and evacuate,” Ball said, adding that firefighters have to get safety attire on, block street access, set up a water supply, figure out where the leak is and call additional units. “They did everything they were supposed to do right before they were going to enter and evacuate the complex. Then it exploded. And, I would say if it had exploded a minute later, this would be a much worse situation.” Ball said that only once firefighters have everything set up do they enter a building. “I’ll tell you this … they got here really fast, did everything they were supposed to do, and there was great heroics done on this day,” Ball said. “And I’ll say something else. The building next door, if it was not for our firefighters’ fast response and tactics, that almost certainly would have gone up in flames also, and there’d be a lot more casualties.” The chief said it was too early to determine what caused the explosion, but said the NTSB was leading the investigation and was collaborating with DFR’s arson division. An attorney representing the owner of the apartment building told NBC 5 on Friday that a subcontractor ruptured an Atmos gas line while boring for soil samples. Dallas apartment building explosion Dallas 19 hours ago ‘Everyone is devastated,' apartment owner says gas line ruptured during soil sample boring Dallas May 28 Three killed, including child, in Dallas apartment explosion and fire Dallas 20 hours ago 3 killed, several hurt in apartment explosion Dallas May 29 Gas explosion in Dallas kills 3, injured others Fires May 28 NBC 5 Team Coverage: Deadly natural gas explosion destroys Dallas apartment building Dallas May 28 100 firefighters dispatched to Bishop Arts neighborhood for massive fire ...read more read less