Silent vigil honors three victims of Oak Cliff apartment explosion

Residents, community leaders, and advocates gathered for a silent vigil honoring the three people killed in last Thursday's gas explosion at the Clyde Apartments in Dallas' Oak Cliff neighborhood.

The blast claimed the lives of Marisol Perez, her 18‑month‑old son, Eric, and Sylvia Collins, a longtime civil rights advocate. The explosion also displaced dozens of residents and left the surrounding community shaken.

Standing only feet from the tragedy's site, members of Cliff Temple Baptist Church led the gathering in reflection.

Gannon Sims, a pastor at the church, reminded attendees of the purpose of the moment.

"The word vigil means to keep watch or to stay awake," Sims said.

Faith leaders help community reflect

Sims, of Cliff Temple, was one of two voices who guided a gathering of people at East 9th Street and North Patton Avenue on Wednesday night. In periods of silence, the group honored first responders, those displaced by the explosion, a neighborhood trying to overcome a shared grief, and the three lives lost.

A call about a gas leak just before 1 p.m. on May 28 escalated into an explosion, Dallas Fire-Rescue said. Marisol Perez and her 18‑month‑old son, Eric Jr., died in the blast. Officials said community advocate and civil rights activist Sylvia Collins also died.

"So, as you are invited into the silence, you may pray. You pray. You may reflect. You may allow yourself to grieve," Sims said.

Silence carries weight of loss

Participants sat in the decibels of quiet, with only the noise of the outdoor space breaking the silence. First responders walked over to the site where they battled the deadly fire and where crews had to search for remains.

"The silence was very meaningful because it focused us," Renato "Ray" De Los Santos Jr. said. "It allowed us to think, especially on who Sylvia Collins was."

Friends remember Collins' legacy

De Los Santos, a friend of Collins who works with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), said more memorials will be erected in his friend's honor. As for healing, he knows it is a longer road.

"You know, healing will come. Healing will be something that we will strive for. I think right now, many of us are still dealing with the shock," he said. "Many of us are still dealing with the pain that comes with losing a good friend."