A raging row house fire took the life of an elderly resident in the nation's capitol on the evening of Thursday, March 18, 2004.
Washington D.C. firefighters, responding on a box alarm around 5 P.M., found flames in full posession of the basement in a two story, brick row dwelling at 1019 8th Street N.E. Frantic neighbors were reporting a person trapped inside.
Despite heavy fire extension to the first floor and extremely heavy smoke conditions, an aggresive interior attack was mounted. Rescue Squad 1 began a primary search for the missing occupant. Unfortunately, the victim was found fatally burned on the basement stairs.
It took a box and working fire assignment of six engines, three trucks, a heavy rescue, air unit, two battalion chiefs and the firefighting deputy to bring the blaze under control. It was confined to the home of origin.
