At least four people were sent to the hospital after elevated carbon monoxide levels were detected in the Arlington Court Suites Hotel at 1200 North Courthouse Road.
Firefighters believe the CO may have wafted into the hotel after a vehicle was left running for an extended period of time in a parking garage.
Guy Fieri Brings Camera Crew to Arlington Diner — Celebrity chef and Food Network star Guy Fieri visited Arlington’s Metro 29 Diner (4711 Lee Highway) on Tuesday, according to the Reliable Source. He was filming an episode of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”
Housing Fair To Be Held This Weekend — Arlington County will be holding a housing fair on Saturday. Renters and buyers alike will be able to attend workshops, get valuable advice and meet with landlords, real estate and finance professionals, housing specialists and County staff.
Obey’s Retirement Will Boost Moran’s Influence — Wisconsin congressman David Obey’s retirement will move fellow Democrat Rep. Jim Moran higher up in the powerful House Appropriations Committee’s pecking order. Moran said of Obey’s decision not to seek re-election today: “Chairman Obey is one of the most consequential figures to chair Appropriations. With unparalleled institutional knowledge, he has skillfully guided the Committee through some of the most difficult terrain in its history. He will be sorely missed.” More from the Washington Post.
Elevator Fire at Navy Annex Ties Up Traffic — A small fire in an elevator mechanical room at the Navy Annex on Columbia Pike tied up traffic this morning. Firefighters and police responded to the scene, shutting down Columbia Pike between South Joyce Street and South Oak Street around 10:15 p.m. ART and Metro buses were delayed as a result.
Electric Bicycles to Be Demo-ed — California-based firm Pedego will unveil its line of electric bicycles in Arlington on Thursday, in celebration of Earth Day. The demonstration is being held at the Big Wheel Bikes at 3119 Lee Highway, in the Lyon Village Shopping Center. Pedego will let riders test-drive the bikes on the Custis Trail from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. There will also be free food, drinks and live entertainment.
Energy Use Discussed At Town Hall Meeting — Residents shared their thoughts on energy challenges at the Arlington Community Energy Town Hall Meeting on Saturday. A county task force is trying to find ways to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. More from the Sun Gazette.
Firefighters put out a small brush fire in Courthouse this afternoon. A pile of fallen leaves and branches caught fire near a power substation at the Woodbury Park apartments. The flames were quickly extinguished.
It’s not clear how the fire started, although Dominion Power was evaluating the substation following the fire.
A firefighter from the Reagan National-based Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire and Rescue squad was taken to the hospital after he suffered minor injuries battling an electrical fire in Alexandria.
Firefighters from Arlington and workers from Dominion Power also responded to the small blaze on Herbert Street in the Mt. Vernon section of Alexandria. It was sparked when a piece of aluminum siding came off the roof of a townhouse and struck a power line. Witnesses say the loose siding caused a loud electrical “explosion,” which may have started a fire in the attic.
The District’s emergency communications system went down Monday night, prompting Arlington to allow D.C. radio traffic on some of the county’s channels.
ARLnow.com heard D.C. paramedics being dispatched on a fire department administrative channel. Among the calls broadcast on Arlington frequencies was a report of a stabbing in northeast Washington.
Originally scheduled for Feb. 13 but postponed due to snow, the drill will simulate an explosion on a Metrorail train in the tunnel between the Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom stations. Arlington police and firefighters — along with emergency personnel from Metro and other jurisdictions — will test out new Mobile Emergency Response Vehicles (left), the first motorized rescue carts used by a U.S. transit organization.
The exercise will begin at 1:00 a.m. Sunday, but first responders and volunteer “victims” should arrive at the Rosslyn station around 11:00 p.m. Saturday. The exercise is expected to run until 5:00 a.m.
Nobody was believed to be seriously ill, according to WUSA9. An earlier version of this story cited NBC4, which reported that three people were seriously sickened.
The leak was first reported by customers who began feeling sick in the California Nails salon.
Firefighters responded to a fire at an apartment complex on Columbia Pike this morning. The blaze was quickly extinguished, but not before causing some damage.
The fire broke out at one of seven buildings in the Archstone Columbia Crossing apartment community on the 1900 block of Columbia Pike. So far, no word on a cause.
The Arlington Fire Department is on the scene of a hazmat situation at N. Stuart St. & 9th St. N., near the Ballston Metro. Initial reports suggest a truck is leaking fuel into a storm drain.
Update at 3:00 p.m. — An ambulance was called for a man who was complaining of chest pains, apparently caused by the fumes. The hazmat situation itself appears to be under control.
Firefighters will use their recently-acquired Mobile Emergency Response Vehicles (MERVs) to travel through the tunnels. MERVs, which were used during the 2005 bombing of the London Underground, can reduce the time it takes first-responders to reach underground victims from 45 minutes to 4 minutes.
The exercise will take place between 9 AM and noon. The $1.2 million in funding for it came from a federal Homeland Security grant.
