The fire required 20 units of firefighting personnel.
Around 7:30 am on Tuesday morning, a 1-alarm fire was reported on the 5400 block of Colorado Ave NW in D.C.
The Brightwood Park fire seems to have started on the first floor, extending to the second floor of a 2.5 story frame house that appeared vacant, according to a tweet from DC Fire and EMS. WUSA9 reported, "flames shooting from the windows."
The department eventually had 20 units and 100 personnel on the scene just to bring it under control, eventually redesignating it a 2-alarm fire, with the intense blaze forcing firefighters "to evacuate the home and attack the blaze from the outside, using ladders and hoses."
Conditions that greeted #DCsBravest when they arrived at the fire in the 5400 block Colorado Ave NW. pic.twitter.com/1J8PSDETiU
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) November 30, 2021
WUSA9 stated that "all firefighters have been accounted for, and no injuries were reported." The cause of the fire is as of yet uncertain, but investigators from the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were "on scene to assist firefighters."
As winter kicks into gear and "firefighters have responded to a number of house fires already this season," WTOP reported that "firefighters suggest a holiday chimney inspection." Bear in mind these tips as well:
- Get other heating appliances checked by a professional before using them daily.
- Water live trees daily.
- Avoid running extension cords under carpets.
- Plug multiple lights into a surge protector so as not to overload circuits.
- Leave 3 feet of clearance around portable heaters.
- Don’t leave candles unattended.
Scary news—but we're glad no one was injured! Do you have any fire prevention tips? Let us know in the comments!
