Southeast DC apartment fire displaces dozens, injures firefighter, one person

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Nearly 80 people were displaced by a vast fire broke out at Oxford Manor apartments in Southeast DC on Tuesday afternoon.

In an update just before 11 p.m., DC Fire and EMS announced that a total of 76 people were displaced due to the afternoon fire on Bowen Road Southeast.

They are assisted by the Red Cross, DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services.

Crews were first called to the two-alarm fire just before 2 p.m. in the 2600 block of Bowen Road SE. There, firefighters noticed that violent flames were burning through the upper floors of three apartment buildings.

The fire was largely out by 3:56 p.m., but as of early Wednesday morning, investigators still didn't know what caused the fire.

One firefighter was taken to the hospital due to heat exhaustion. Another person, who was rescued from the fire, was also taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A puppy was also rescued from the fire and reunited with its owner. Besides being waterlogged, DC Fire and EMS said the dog appeared to be OK.

DC Fire and EMS said 28 apartments were affected.