DC Residents Rescued From Apartment Fire

VIA WUSA:

WASHINGTON (WUSA) – Firefighters in the District are on the scene of a fire that a broke out in an apartment building in northwest Thursday morning.

Pete Piringer, spokesperson for DC Fire and EMS, says the fire started in the 3rd floor hallway of a 5-story apartment building in the 5600 block of 13th Street northwest around 7:00 a.m.

Piringer says firefighters arriving on scene found some residents hanging from windows threatening to jump. Others had lowered bed sheets from windows in an attempt to escape the smoke and heat of the fire. Piringer says firefighters assisted numerous residents from the building, many using ladders.

At least 15 people were evaluated for smoke inhalation at the scene. Piringer says three other victims had to be transported to a local hospital for treatment. Two of the patients transported were juveniles. The third transport was a woman in her twenties who was taken to a hospital as a priority since she suffered from a pre-existing medical condition. A firefighter was also taken to the hospital for evaluation after showing signs of heat exhaustion at the fire scene.

Piringer says several families will be displaced.

Right now the fire is under control.

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