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Video: Box alarm at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Smoke in the West Wing.

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AP:

Reporters and photographers were evacuated briefly from the West Wing of the White House early Saturday because of smoke from an overheated transformer in a mechanical room.

President Barack Obama and his family were not affected by the incident, according to the White House.

U.S. Secret Service spokesman Max Milien said that at about 7 a.m., smoke was seen coming from a mechanical room closet on the first floor.

Matthew DeLuca, NBC news:

Reporters were evacuated from the White House on Saturday morning after an overheated transformer drew fire trucks to the West Wing.

“The transformer problem was quickly resolved. Electricity and personnel access to the West Wing has returned to normal,” a White House official said in a statement to Reuters. “The First Family was unaffected.” 

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NEW VIDEO ADDED: Cameras rolling as firefighters arrive at fatal house fire in Washington, DC.

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I’ve added the video above of the fire at 1801 1st Street in Northwest Washington last night. It’s taken from in front of the burning rowhouse where one man was found dead and shows the initial attack and knockdown of the fire.

The video above and below were shot by  from a vantage point just down the street as firefighters arrived. At the bottom of the post is a report from WUSA-TV reporter Ken Molestina.

WUSA9.com:

Officials have identified the man whose body was discovered at a fire at a two-story rowhouse in Northwest D.C.

The body of 42-year-old Jeffery Nedoroscik was found on the first floor of the  home at 1801 1st St NW.

Police are investigating the incident as a homicide.

Tuesday night, neighbors and witnesses told 9News’ Ken Molestina that the man who lived in the home ran out, then went back inside and was not seen again.

An investigation is ongoing.

Early video: Two-alarm fire destroys large home in Northwest Washington, DC.

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The video above is a combination of a short clip taken shortly after the arrival of firefighters at 4869 Glenbrook Rd, NW this morning and later video from DC Fire & EMS Department videographer Vito Maggiolo. The fire was in a home of more than 7000 sqaure feet that last sold for more than $4 million.

The home is located a few streets away from a mansion owned by former school board president Peggy Cooper Cafritz that was destroyed in July 2009. The 2009 fire was plagued by serious water supply problems that brought a great deal of scrutiny to the fire department and WASA, DC’s water and sewer authority (read more about the 2009 fire here). There is no word of any water issues this morning.

Here’s what Vito wrote about the fire for DCFD.com:

Units were dispatched to 4869 Glenbrook Road shortly before 5:30AM, and arrived to find a very large, 2 1/2 story detached home with flames raging through the second floor, attic and through the roof.

A second alarm was requested almost immediately, and the fire was so well advanced that an interior attack was not feasible.

Firefighters worked to establish a sufficient water supply for a master stream assault, and the blaze was eventually fought from the outside with three ladder pipes, Tower 3, and large handlines. 

Google Maps Street View of 4869 Glenbrook Road. According to zillow.com, the home sold for $4 million in March of 2011. It was more than 7000 sqare feet and had four bedrooms and six baths.

WUSA9.com:

A two-alarm fire in Northwest DC produced a column of smoke that could be seen from Crystal City early Friday morning.

Lon Walls, spokesman for DC Fire and EMS, says the blaze broke out in a house located at 4867 Glenbrook Road around 5:37 a.m. Firefighters arriving on scene found a fully-involved house fire with flames on both floors of the two-story home. A second alarm was called.

Right now there are no reports of injuries. It is unclear whether or not the home is occupied. 

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Early raw video: U.S. Park Police chopper crew captures recent two-alarm DC rowhouse fire.

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We are a little late on this one, but I think you will find the video worth the wait. This is 11 minutes of raw video from a United States Park Police helicopter taken during the early stages of a rowhouse fire that began at 921 Decatur Street, Northwest on the afternoon of July 1. The fire went to two alarms. Two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion.

The picture below is one of a series of photos from Elliot Goodman, who was also an early arrival (he was four blocks away). The rest of Elliot's pictures can be seen at DCFD.com.

An interesting video find. A DC response from long ago caught on film.

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Check this video out that popped up on YouTube. It is titled "Automobiles (1920s)". I am not sure why I watched it, but I am glad I did. At the 16 second mark you will see a response by DCFD as the they dump the house at 3522 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Out the door are Engine 28 (wagon & pumper), Truck 14 and Battalion Chief 5.

I have seen a fair amount of DCFD archival footage but this is one I don't recall viewing prior to today. I am sure some DCFD historian has spotted this in the past, but two of the experts I call on (one is older than dirt) are like me and hadn't seen it before. Enjoy.

Raw video: ZBT house burns at GWU in Washington, DC.

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Above is raw video from DC Fire & EMS Department videographer Vito Maggiolo taken during a fire yesterday afternoon at the Zeta Beta Tau house at George Washington University. Spokesman Pete Piringer wrote on Twitter early this morning that the fire at 605 21st Street, Northwest started in a bathroom ceiling on the top floor and was electrical in nature. Damage is estimated at $100,000.    

Many of the students had already moved out, but the fire was discovered when a student moving in smelled smoke in the building.

Here's what Piringer told the AP:

Piringer says it took firefighters time to find where the fire was burning. They discovered the blaze in the walls and into the attic. No one was injured. Damage at the house is significant, making it uninhabitable.

Piringer says the fire appears to be accidental, but authorities are still investigating the cause.

From Lauren French at The GW Hatchet:

Pete Piringer, spokesman for the D.C. fire and emergency medical services department, said the “significant fire” at 605 21st Street erupted within the upper walls of the townhouse, on the second and third floors and in the attic.

Firefighters inside the townhouse could not immediately detect where the fire was located, Piringer said, but noted heavy smoke.

He said a preliminary investigation led firefighters to believe there was “burning for a while, undetected in the walls.” It took 15 to 20 minutes for officers “to get a handle” because the fire “wasn’t outwardly visible,” Piringer said.

Pre-arrival video: DC service station fire.

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Video above by Kindal Newsome. 

Two early videos of the fire around 8:15 yesterday morning at a service station in Georgetown.   

From WUSA9.com:   

DC Fire & EMS spokesman Pete Piringer said it took firefighters 15-20 minutes to put the fire out at the Lowest Price Gas Station at the corner of Wisconsin Ave. and Q St., NW.
 
The fire caused significant damage to the building, a car inside the building and one car outside the building. Two nearby restaurants also suffered damage from the fire.  

   

Piringer said investigators believe the fire was accidental. They said technicians were working on a gas tank in a vehicle with a space heater nearby, and it’s believed the fumes from the space heater ignited the gasoline fumes.
 
Three people were evaluated, one for smoke inhalation, but all three people refused transport.   

 

UPDATED – Busy day in DC. Raw video, pictures, news coverage & audio from two house fires.

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Photo above from Elliot Goodman. Click here to see more photos at DCFD.com.  

Still images from 1923 2nd Street fire from WUSA9.com

Firefighters in the Nation’s Capital were kept busy during the daylight hours yesterday with a number of fires. Two of them received some attention from the news media and the fire media. Let’s start with the second one at 1923 2nd Street, NW. It came in at 3:41 PM. According to DCFD.com Engine 6 went on the scene with heavy fire showing on side A of a two-story end of row house. A second-alarm was dispatched. Spokesman Pete Piringer says the fire apparently started in the basement and spread to the upper floors. Several firefighters received minor injuries. 

The raw video below is from DC Fire & EMS Department photographer Vito Maggiolo.   

 

The earlier fire was in the 5100 block of B Street in Southeast in the 11:00 hour. One firefighter suffered an injured ankle. The fireground audio from that fire is below, along with some news video. 

Two DC fires within 12 hours leave many injured. Firefighters make multiple rescues.

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WUSA9.com report on a fire his morning:

A fire that broke out in a Northwest DC home has sent one victim to the hospital with critical burn injuries.

Deputy Chief Kenneth Crosswhite, spokesperson for DC Fire and EMS, says firefighters responded to a report of a house fire in the 400 block of Luray Place around 8:50 Friday morning.

Crews arriving on scene found flames showing from the second floor of a two-story row house. Crosswhite says an elderly woman was trapped by the flames and had to be rescued by firefighters. The woman suffered burn injuries and was transported to Medstar in critical condition.

Firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control around 9:00 a.m.

Units are still on the scene dousing residual hot spots from the fire.

WUSA9.com report on a fire last night:

DC firefighters rescued several residents from a burning building on Kennedy St NW Thursday night.

Fire officials say six people were rescued from the building which houses the Christ Universal Church, commercial businesses, and several apartments at 113 Kennedy St NW.

DC Fire and EMS spokesman Pete Piringer says three of the injured were a woman age 62, a woman age 66, and man in his early 50′s. All suffered smoke inhalation and are in serious condition.

One firefighter suffered a twisted ankle while rescuing one of the residents.

Fire officials say the fire started in a first floor apartment and spread to the second floor. Smoke detectors were working and alerted residents to the fire, allowing them to attempt to escape.

One made it to the roof of the burning building and was rescued by firefighters. At least two others were pulled from second story windows. One person was found unconscious in a hallway.

DC Fire and EMS was called to the scene around 10:20 p.m. When crews arrived, heavy smoke and fire were discovered on the first floor of the two-story building.

When crews arrived, heavy smoke and fire were discovered on the first floor of the building. Fire officials say the first floor houses a commercial business while the second floor contains apartments. 

More from DC 3-alarm hi-rise fire: Interviews with firefighters.

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WUSA9.com slideshow

Interviews with firefighters and more news coverage from WUSA9.com on Tuesday’s fire at 1444 Rhode Island, NW. Click here for our previous coverage including raw video from DC Fire & EMS Department photographer Vito Maggiolo and fireground audio from FireSceneAudio.

UPDATE Raw video & fireground audio: Three-alarm hi-rise fire in Washington, DC. Two firefighters, three civilians hurt.

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DC Fire & EMS Department photographer Vito Maggiolo shot the video above during a fire at 1444 Rhode Island Avenue, NW. The fire was reported around 4:45 this afternoon and trapped some residents on the upper floors. Three civilians and two firefighters were hurt.

WUSA9.com’s Bruce Leshan reports the fire started on the 9th floor of the Windsor House. It trapped residents on the 10th floor who came to their windows signaling firefighters of their distress. Fire department spokesman Pete Piringer says firefighters brought residents to safety through the interior of the building and down ladders.