WASHINGTON — About 75 firefighters and 24 pieces of equipment responded Monday afternoon to a dumpster blaze in Northeast Washington’s Kenilworth area, according to D.C. Fire and EMS. The fire sent smoke into a nearby storage area and forced crews to peel back sections of the building’s exterior to check for possible extensions of the blaze.
Firefighters were dispatched to the 1300 block of Kenilworth Avenue NE for reports of a working fire in a commercial dumpster. The response was quickly elevated to a Fire Task Force incident as flames threatened to spread beyond the dumpster.
Although the main fire was brought under control within an hour, heavy smoke penetrated the adjacent structure, prompting crews to perform extensive overhaul operations. Firefighters removed portions of the building’s skin to ensure no hidden flames or heat pockets remained behind the walls.
No injuries were reported, and officials said the damage was largely contained to the dumpster and sections of the building’s exterior.
