Underground Fire Shoots High Into the Air
Workers Evacuated After Office Buildings Lose Electricity; No Injuries Reported

By Martin Weil and Elissa Silverman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, September 23, 2008

A column of bright flame and thick smoke shot up from underground in a busy downtown Washington neighborhood yesterday, cutting electricity to nearby office buildings, prompting evacuations and attracting a crowd of startled onlookers.

No injuries were reported in the incident at Fourth Street and Virginia Avenue SW, but "it was pretty spectacular," said Alan Etter, spokesman for D.C. Fire and Emergency Services.

There was "billowing black smoke and flame shooting high in the air," said Beverly Rollins, who works at the Social Security Advisory Board, an independent oversight board housed in one of the buildings that was evacuated.

A Pepco spokesman said last night that the incident began about 3 p.m. when two cables "went bad" and an underground transformer caught fire.

Electricity was cut off for a time to two office buildings, he said, but was restored at 7:18 p.m.

The incident, which seemed reminiscent of the rash of manhole fires that plagued the District several years ago, caught many office workers by surprise. Several people were trapped when elevators suddenly stopped, Etter said.

Rollins was working on a report on her building's the sixth floor when the "electricity zapped off," shutting down her computer. Sent to inquire, she found the street filled with police officers and firefighters.

She said someone reported hearing "a loud bang" before the loss of electricity.

In time, office workers were evacuated from their buildings, and "we all just stood around" watching as the underground blaze seemed to die down and then flare up, she said. The black smoke, she said, "was really very thick."

Many people were familiar with accounts of earlier manhole fires, she said, but "seeing that smoke and those flames -- that was more than we expected."

Pepco spokesman Bob Hainey said the manhole cover remained in place yesterday as vents prevented pressure buildup.

In an unrelated incident, about 1,900 homes in the Shepherd Park area of Northwest Washington lost electricity after a power pole broke in the 7700 block of Alaska Avenue. Lights went out about 9 p.m. and were restored by 10:20.