Skip to main content

Child in critical condition after Southeast DC house fire

A boy under the age of 10 is in critical condition at the hospital after being rescued from a house fire in Southeast D.C. early Monday. The fire remains under investigation, according to D.C. Fire and EMS officials. Smoke detectors were found in the house, but fire officials are unsure as to whether they were working. Firefighters were called to a home at 117 Upsal St. SE, off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and the Anacostia Freeway, just after 3 a.m. Monday. They found heavy fire showing from three sides of the building. Vito Maggiolo, a D.C. Fire spokesman, said two adults and two children made it safely out of the burning house, but a third child was trapped inside and had to be rescued.

That child was hospitalized with injuries considered life-threatening. The other four occupants were also transported to a hospital for further observation. Maggiolo said the fire is now under control, but the cause is still under investigation. Below is a map of the area: [google_map latitude=”38.83777750138815″ longitude=”-77.00485309495916″ zoom=”14″ height=”300px” location_label=”upsal street” dynamic_map=”false”]

ONLY ON WTOP: Children’s National ER employee cites staffing shortage for 10-hour waits

Children's National Medical Center, in D.C., is in the midst of a staffing shortage as COVID-19 continues to affect more unvaccinated children and winter viruses, such as RSV, arrive early this year. One employee told WTOP it's contributing to the longest emergency room wait times in recent memory. An emergency room employee at Children's National, who spoke anonymously to WTOP, fearing repercussions, expressed concern for patients who are waiting for care and employees who are working shifts without adequate staffing in a pandemic. The worker said emergency room wait times at Children's "routinely approach 10 hours," saying it happens two to three times a week.
Read Next Story