By Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 30, 2007 6:22 AM

A pre-dawn fire this morning in a commercial building just west of Dupont Circle prompted the closure of the 2000 block of P Street NW and several nearby intersections, D.C. fire officials said.

No one was hurt in the blaze, which was reported about 4 a.m. and involved the basement of 2010 P Street, on the south side of the block, and at least one dumpster in the alley behind it.

The building houses several businesses, including a Subway sandwich shop and a pizza restaurant. Fire department spokesman Alan Etter said it was too early to tell whether the fire began inside the building and spread outward, or started in the dumpster. The exterior of a mixed residential-commercial building next door was slightly damaged in the blaze, Etter said.

Etter said fire trucks and other emergency vehicles likely would continue to block the westbound lanes of P Street for the early part of the morning commute. The eastbound lanes were already closed for road improvements, so commuters coming to or from Georgetown would need to seek alternate routes, Etter said.