A Thursday night fire on Barracks Row sent a D.C. firefighter to the hospital after crews battled heavy flames in a second-story space above the busy Southeast corridor. The firefighter’s injuries were described as non life threatening, and flames and heavy smoke were visible from the roof as crews worked to contain the blaze and ventilate the building.
According to WJLA, D.C. Fire and EMS crews were called to the 700 block of 8th Street Southeast, where video showed firefighters attacking intense flames and thick smoke. After the fire was brought under control, crews shifted to ventilating the structure and checking for hidden hot spots, and the injured firefighter was taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries.
Second Recent Call That Hurt A Responder
This is the second time in a matter of weeks that a D.C. firefighter has been hospitalized after a Southeast fire. A May 24 rowhouse blaze in Southeast also sent a firefighter to the hospital, displaced residents and prompted the department to repeat its usual reminders about checking smoke alarms and reviewing home escape plans.
Where It Happened
Barracks Row, the stretch of 8th Street SE that runs past Eastern Market, is a busy commercial corridor of restaurants and shops, according to Barracks Row Main Street. With ground floor businesses and upper floor residences sharing the same buildings, a fire in one section can quickly affect both customers and nearby residents.
What Neighbors Should Know
Officials told WJLA that the Barracks Row fire has been contained and that crews were ventilating the roof and interior as they wrapped up overhaul work. Neighbors should be ready for street closures in the area while equipment is cleared and the scene is secured. The D.C. Fire and EMS Department regularly urges households to test smoke alarms and go over escape routes, reminders that followed its earlier reporting on the Southeast rowhouse blaze.
