WASHINGTON — One man is in critical condition and nine adults and 10 children are without a home Thursday morning after an apartment caught fire in Southeast D.C.
D.C. Fire and EMS responded just before 3 a.m. to a three-story building in the 4200 block of 6th Street SE in Washington Highlands.
Firefighters found an apartment with hoarding conditions on fire on the second floor — and rescued a man by ladder from the window.
He was taken to the hospital with critical injuries but is expected to recover.
Officials said the hoarding conditions made fighting the fire more difficult.
The fire took about 15 minutes to extinguish and spread just slightly to the third floor.
A warming station has been set up at a nearby recreation center for the displaced residents.
Fire investigators said that cause of the blaze was accidental and originated from a stove.
A map of the area where the fire happened:
