WASHINGTON — A woman is dead after firefighters battled a burning semi-detached home in Southeast, D.C. Tuesday morning, D.C. Fire officials said.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene of the reported two-story house fire on the 600 block fo Darrington Street SE around 5:18 a.m., Vito Maggiolo, Public Information Officer for D.C. Fire said.
Responding units noticed that a fire was active on the second floor and began their efforts to get it under control. Firefighters were also notified that there were possible victims trapped in the home, officials said.
Crews went into the home to conduct a rescue when they found a woman in a second-floor bedroom.
"When we get reports that there is, in fact, somebody inside, obviously, we become more aggressive our search teams and we alert all of our units that that is the case and we try to find out where in the home they might be trapped and we vigourously start our search and rescue operations," said Maggiolo.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.
Fire crews were able to get the fire under control within 15 minutes.
Smoke detectors were in the home, but it is unknown if they were working. Now, investigators are trying to determine the cause of the flames.
The Red Cross is assisting two people who are displaced as a result of the fire.