A man was killed early Christmas Eve morning after a fire erupted inside a house in Northwest D.C., according to the city’s fire department.
D.C. Fire and EMS received reports of smoke and fire just before 1 a.m. Tuesday on Ogden Street in Columbia Heights.
When firefighters arrived, they found a man inside showing no signs of life. First responders tried to revive the man, but he ultimately died, according to the department’s Chief Communications Officer Noah Gray.
The fire started while the man was using his fireplace, which fire officials said appeared to be self installed. As he was using the fireplace, debris got onto the floor and ignited combustibles inside the house, D.C. Fire Marshal Ed Kauffman said.
“Out of this unfortunate incident, we just want everybody to understand fire safety in the home,” Kauffman said. “One, to have proper, functioning and operating appliances, to make sure that they are taking care and servicing their fireplaces properly, so that they are clean and in proper working order.”
According to Kauffman, the fire stayed contained to the first floor of the house around the fireplace, but was significant enough to kill the man.
No one else was inside when the fire erupted, Kauffman said.
Following the fire, members of the department went door to door in the neighborhood as part of its “return to scene initiative.” Members of the fire prevention division performed home safety inspections in the area and made sure homes have working smoke alarms.
“This is a very sad morning, it’s Christmas Eve morning and we lost a life in a fire, and we don’t want to see that happen anymore,” Gray said.
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