Dozens of D.C. firefighters battled a Monday morning blaze in a high-rise apartment building along New Mexico Avenue, leading to extended road closures as first responders assisted residents and began cleanup.
Around 5:45 a.m., D.C. Fire and EMS units were dispatched to the Sutton Place apartments on the 3100 block of New Mexico Avenue near American University in Northwest D.C. for a two-alarm fire.
Images from the scene showed intense flames and smoke billowing out of the top floor of the 11-story residential building:
This was the scene that greeted #DCsBravest when they arrived at the 2 Alarm fire 3101 New Mexico Ave NW. pic.twitter.com/HJOLzz8Eat
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) December 9, 2019
Investigators believe the fire was electrical in nature and the result of an accident, D.C. Fire spokesman Vitto Maggiolo told WTOP. He credited a functioning smoke detector for saving a woman’s life in the apartment where it started.
Approximately 20 units involving 80 personnel responded to the early morning inferno, shutting roadways and assisting residents to shelter as needed, the department tweeted.
There were no initial reports of injuries. D.C. Fire said three residents will be displaced due to the damage.
