Apartment Fire on Rhode Island, Injuries Reported

Photographs for We Love DC.

A fire has occurred on the upper floors of a 10-story building on the 1400 block of Rhode Island Avenue in Northwest (Update as of 5:30 p.m. – the apartment is the Windsor House at 1444 Rhode Island Ave. NW).  As of 5:15 p.m., 10-plus fire trucks have gathered in the area, in addition to numerous police cars and ambulances.  People were seen on stretchers, but the extent of injuries is unclear at this time.

Traffic is impacted in the area. Rhode Island is closed between 14th and 15th NW and 15th is closed from Massachusetts to Rhode Island.  It is also noted that 14th Street NW is open going north, but closed off headed south.

Watch this post and our twitter feed for updates.

Update as 0f 10:23 p.m.@dcfireems reports via twitter at 9:55 p.m., 21 residents displaced, EMS transported 6 — three civilians and three firefighters. Incident is under investigation but appears to be accidental.

Update as of 8:30 p.m. – 15th street NW remains closed from Massachusetts to Rhode Island, and Rhode Island between 14th and 15th NW.  Fewer fire and EMS vehicles on-site.

Update as of 7:23 p.m. – @dcfireems reports via twitter at 7:14 p.m., EMS transported 5 — including three civilians and two firefighters.

Update as of 7:03 p.m. – Area still blocked.  Traffic continues to be disrupted.

Update as of 6:04 p.m. – According to fire spokesman Pete Piringer to NBC Washington, several dozen people needed to be evacuated or needed assistance exiting the building. Several people were injured — two seriously — but none of the injuries is believed to be life-threatening.

Photograph of 15th and Rhode Island NW.

Photograph of visible damage.

See more photographs and eyewitness accounts here.

Samantha can often be found daydreaming by the Rothkos of the East Gallery, sketching store facades along 14th, and snapping photos with her vintage polaroid at 9:30 club concerts. Since moving to DC in 2007 to get an MFA in Interior Design, her eyes can’t seem to be peeled away from the beautiful things in this city. Send any visual art, architecture, or design related news her way via Samantha (at) WeLoveDC.com

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