(Updated at 10:40 a.m.) About two dozen firefighters battled a fire at the Lucky Seven Food Mart at 2406 Shirlington Road in the Nauck neighborhood this morning.
The original call for smoke and flames coming from the store’s roof came in around 9:30 a.m., and drew firefighters from Arlington, Alexandria, Ft. Myer and Fairfax County.
A pedestrian walk signal at the intersection somehow caught on fire around 11:30 this morning. The fire was minor and eventually burned itself out, but not before passersby caught sight of smoke coming from the signal. As a result of the fire, power was temporarily cut to all traffic signals at the intersection.
As of 12:10 p.m., the lights were operating on battery power and blinking red. Police were on scene assisting with traffic control.
(Updated at 6:45 p.m.) One lane of Columbia Pike is back open in each direction after the road was shut down between S. Monroe Street and S. Oakland Street due to a fire at a chicken restaurant.
A significant kitchen fire broke out at the El Rancho Peruvian Style Chicken & Latin Grill restaurant on the 3600 block of Columbia Pike around 5:00 p.m. Firefighters had to tear out the restaurant’s duct work to battle the blames, we’re told.
According to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Captain Gregg Karl, problems can arise with people in multi-unit residences, such as condos and high rise apartments, who may not even realize they’re violating the code.
No grills, combustible devices or open flame cooking devices are to be used or stored on balconies and rooftops. Fire pits and similar types of warming devices are also banned. Electric devices without an open flame are acceptable.
Due to our area being about four inches below normal in rainfall for the year, more small fires have been sparking. Arlington County Fire Department Captain Gregg Karl said the county isn’t experiencing as many brush fires as some neighboring areas, but there have actually been a lot of mulch fires in the past few weeks.
According to Karl, most of the trouble has been with smokers trying to extinguish their cigarettes in plant boxes or areas with mulch. In many cases, the cigarettes smolder on the extremely dry, flammable material and then start a fire. Even drivers throwing cigarettes out of car windows has been causing trouble, because there’s mulch on many of the street medians in Arlington. Smokers are reminded to make sure cigarettes are completely extinguished, and to only use approved receptacles to dispose of them.
(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) Arlington County, Alexandria and Fort Myer firefighters are battling a restaurant fire in Crystal City.
A fire that broke out in the kitchen of the Matsutake Hibachi Steak and Sushi restaurant (320 23rd Street S.) spread to the duct work, making firefighting efforts more difficult than usual. Half an hour after the initial fire dispatch, no flames could be seen from inside the restaurant but light smoke was still billowing out of the doors and vents.
The three large loss fires (causing more than $50,000 in damage) compare to 10 large loss fires in both FY 2009 and FY 2010, and 20 large loss fires in FY 2008.
“One is too many… [but] for us that’s a big milestone, a big accomplishment,” Fire Chief James Schwartz told ARLnow.com. Schwartz credited the community for good fire prevention practices and for quickly calling 911 whenever they see a fire. He also credited Arlington firefighters for fast response times and a high degree of firefighting competence.
The Arlington County Fire Department is on the scene of a reported fire at Key Elementary School (2300 Key Blvd).
Initial reports suggest the fire is contained to the school’s freezer and possibly electrical in nature. The school has been evacuated, according to scanner traffic.
Firefighters responded to an apartment fire at Potomac Towers (2001 N. Adams Street) in the North Highlands neighborhood tonight.
Initial reports suggest a smoky kitchen fire broke out in an apartment on the fifth floor around 5:30 p.m. The blaze was quickly extinguished once firefighters arrived on scene and no injuries have been reported.
(Updated at 1:45 p.m.) A fire broke out at the Berkeley Apartments building at 2900 S. Glebe Road this morning.
Flames and heavy smoke were spotted coming from a second-floor apartment just after 11:30 a.m. Firefighters from Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax responded and were able to extinguish the flames within minutes, said Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Gregg Karl.
(Updated at 11:40 a.m.) Firefighters are on the scene of a kitchen fire at Cafe Asia restaurant (1550 Wilson Blvd) in Rosslyn.
The fire, which reportedly started in an oven, was quickly extinguished. Nonetheless, the office building above Cafe Asia was evacuated as a precaution, sending scores of workers out onto the sidewalk.
Firefighters responded to the hotel just after 1:00 p.m. after a 911 caller reported smoke on the 9th floor. Upon arrival, they found a fire — in a 9th floor room — that had been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.
Some smoke and water damage was reported as a result of the fire. Nobody was hurt.
