District Briefing

NORTHEAST

Smoke Kills Woman in Duplex Blaze

An unidentified woman who appeared to be in her 40s died of apparent smoke inhalation early yesterday when a fire heavily damaged the two-story duplex in which she lived in Northeast Washington, a fire department spokesman said.

The blaze, of undetermined origin, broke out before 6 a.m. and destroyed most of the residence on the right side of the duplex, in the 5000 block of Just Street NE, spokesman Alan Etter said. He said firefighters found the woman unconscious in the front room of the house. He said she was not severely burned but apparently had suffered "devastating smoke inhalation injuries."

No one else was in that side of the duplex, Etter said. He said that the duplex was equipped with smoke detectors but that it was unclear whether they were working. Two people were evacuated from the left side of the duplex, which also was damaged, Etter said.

Etter said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

-- Paul Duggan

SOUTHEAST

Memorial for Mentally Ill Planned at St. E's

Mental health professionals gathered at the chapel of St. Elizabeths Hospital yesterday to dedicate a national memorial that will honor the thousands of deceased mental patients buried at psychiatric hospitals across the country, often in unmarked graves.

They came to St. Elizabeths because the historic Southeast Washington hospital will be the site of a nine-acre memorial to people who have died on the grounds of mental hospitals nationwide. A granite marker with the quote "I must fight in the open" was installed during the ceremony, according to a news release from the D.C. Department of Mental Health.

Patrick J. Canavan, chief executive of the hospital, called the memorial "a major step" in reversing an "injustice." Construction is scheduled to begin next year, according to the department.

-- Hamil R. Harris