DC Fire Department delayed fighting the Mount Pleasant Fire.
I recorded this shortly after the arrival of the first fire engines. The time code represents where my tape is at.
The fire eventually declared a 5 alarms fire with more then 300 firefighters from DC, Maryland and Virginia... The fire destroyed 85 apartment units at the Deauville at 3145 Mount Pleasant Street in Washington, DC, also damaged much of Meridian Hill Baptist Church and part of 3149 Mount Pleasant Street, leaving almost 200 people homeless, and millions of dollars in damages. District of Columbia Fire Chief Dennis Rubin told WTOP news radio that the fire crews first focused on evacuating the buildings. While Anna Kelso reported in her blog that a "friendly police officer" told her the DC Fire department was "rather slow in responding to the fire." http://annakelso.blogspot.com/2008/03/mount-pleasant-fire.html
With all due respect to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, I'd say the comments of the "friendly police officer" should be considered no more authoritative that those of other curbside bystanders. They can't see what's going on inside the building as the firefighters size up the situation, evacuate the residents, and, yes, perhaps start an interior attack of the fire. The video itself shows that at least one engine company is already connected to a hydrant.
waysav 4 weeks ago
what street
ghostCAM45 1 year ago