On January 30, 2003, sickening fumes prompted the evacuation of one downtown building and a massive investigation by DC Fire & EMS HazMat professionals in two buildings, including the headquarters of the US Treasury.
Just after 3:00 PM, Truck 3 engaged a service call to the Dept. of the Treasury, 15th & G Sts., NW. Once there, the crew detected a noticeable odor of petroleum fumes and asked communications to dispatch HazMat. As the assignment was enroute, calls began coming from 740 15th St., NW, where workers in the basement began complaining of headaches related to a similar odor there. Battalion 4 (Burger) took command at Treasury while Battalion 6 (Willis) took command at 740 15th St., NW, which houses, among other things, the headquarters for the American Bar Association.
Because several people reported ill health effects at the ABA building, the decision was made to evacuate. HazMat readings indicated a smaller presence of fumes at Treasury, so that building was not evacuated. After a comprehensive operation to identify the parameters of the spill, firefighters then flushed the system, forcing what was left of the material to WASA
