The huge apartment building fire that injured a firefighter and a senior citizen and left dozens of people without homes in Southeast D.C. on Tuesday was sparked by illegal fireworks, officials say.
DC Fire and EMS told News4 that someone using fireworks accidentally caused the fire at the Oxford Manor apartments on Bowen Road SE. If investigators can learn who is responsible, they could be charged.
Juveniles were seen playing with Roman candles just before the fire, DC Fire and EMS said.
Flames from a Roman candle shot onto a second-balcony and quickly shot upward into the attic and roof and then engulfed another building, fire investigators found.
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Photos shared by DC Fire and EMS show Roman candles recovered on the scene.
Fire Chief John Donnelly warned people to be careful with fireworks.
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“We all enjoy fireworks, but many of us do not realize how dangerous they can be,” he said in a statement. “This is a terrible tragedy for the residents whose lives have been disrupted because someone else was not safe with fireworks. Please be safe with fireworks.”
A firefighter and a senior citizen who lived in the building were taken to hospitals with injuries not expected to be life-threatening. A total of 76 people are without a home.
“They’ve lost probably everything,” an emergency services coordinator said outside the heavily damaged building on Wednesday morning.
Flames tore through the building shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday, as many residents were at work. Video footage showed flames leaping from the roof and smoke pouring from the building as firefighters sprayed water from the ground and from a ladder.
One resident told News4 she was putting her daughter down for a nap when she heard a smoke alarm and then smelled and saw smoke. They rushed outside, barely grabbing anything they owned.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she said.
All 30 units of the apartment building are uninhabitable for now. Once crews stabilize the building, residents will be allowed back in to retrieve some of their belongings. The Red Cross is assisting residents with needs such as medication.
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First responders want to remind people that most fireworks are illegal in D.C. If it shoots, flies or explodes, you can’t use it. Go here for info from DC Fire and EMS.
Anyone found using or selling illegal fireworks in D.C. can face a fine of $2,000 or more and a possible arrest and criminal prosecution, DC Fire and EMS said.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
