A three-alarm fire broke out in a vacant former D.C. firehouse that was undergoing renovation, on the 1600 block of North Capitol St. NW, shortly after 7pm on Friday, December 15, 2023.
A mayday call was issued when a firefighter was in distress, but was quickly rescued, and an evacuation order was given. Ops switched to a defensive operation, which entailed 7 ladders, including DC's Tower Ladder 3, known as "Midnight Express." Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Tower 719, and units from Fort McNair assisted in mutual aid.
More than 25 fire trucks and 125 firefighters were on scene throughout the night. It appeared that a gas line may have fueled the fire at first.
According to The Washington Post, "The former firehouse, in the Bloomingdale area, near Eckington and Truxton Circle, dates to the last decade of the 19th century and was a District historic landmark. It had once housed Engine Co. No. 12. It was vacated by the fire department in 1987, according to a website on historic D.C. buildings."