A car striking a gas pump in Northwest Washington D.C. caused a significant fire yesterday afternoon, however, no injuries were reported. The incident occurred in the 5500 block of Connecticut Avenue when a vehicle collided with a gas station’s fuel pump, resulting in flames that were witnessed by bystanders as thick black smoke billowed into the sky, according to the DC News Now.
DC Fire and EMS Department arrived on the scene shortly after they were alerted of the emergency. The department's hazmat unit managed a fuel spill while firefighters tackled the blaze, which was rapidly contained and extinguished. A "Box Alarm" was reported yesterday morning, and the emergency shut-off mechanism for the gas pump was activated, preventing the fire from spreading further and saving the gas station from structural damage, as confirmed by FOX 5 DC.
The driver of the car, which photographs from the scene showed had its front end immersed in flames after knocking over an Exxon pump, remarkably escaped unscathed. "Crews extinguished the blaze as the fire department's hazmat unit managed the fuel spill," stated the initial reports from DC News Now.
The accident prompted a careful search of the vehicle after the fire was put out, confirming no other individuals were inside. DC Fire and EMS officials noted no structural damage to the property and had the incident declared under control, as reported by WJLA.
