D.C. Fire and EMS officials say a man has died, and seven people are without a home after a Saturday night blaze in Northwest.
The fire began around 9 p.m. in the 700 block of Rock Creek Church Road NW near Warder Street, according to the department. Flames began on the second floor of a three-story home, which then extended to the third floor.
One victim was located inside on the second floor of the home when first responders arrived. That unidentified victim, “did not survive his injuries,” the department said in a statement.
“With the exception of the one resident who did not escape — everybody in the home was able to successfully leave the home,” said Vito Maggiolo, spokesperson for D.C. Fire and EMS.
A total of seven people were displaced. The Red Cross was notified to help.
Following the fire, Maggiolo reiterated the importance of have working smoke detectors.
“Fires spreads very quickly these days due to the synthetics that are used in fabrics and furniture,” he said. “You only have two or three minutes to get out, and without a smoke alarm, you’re not going to have those two or three minutes.”
He also said you should check space heaters to be sure that you are using them safely.
“Space heaters need space. There needs to be at least three feet in all directions from anything that could catch fire. [They] always need to be plugged directly into an outlet. Can’t use extension cords,” Maggiolo said.
Below is a map of the area of the fire.
WTOP’s Grace Newton and Valerie Bonk contributed to this report.
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