[Archived] UPDATE: Six Alarm Fire Damages Warehouse and Injures Four Firefighters

For immediate release: September 2, 2013  

WHEN:           September 2, 2013  

WHERE:         800 block of South Pickett Street  

WHO:             Alexandria Fire Department  

WHAT:           At 4:25 pm a six alarm fire in the 800 block of South Pickett Street was declared under control.  A total of four firefighters were treated for minor injuries and transported to local hospitals.  One firefighter from Alexandria, one firefighter from Fairfax County and one firefighters from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority were transported with non-life threatening injuries.  There were no other reported injuries in this fire. 

On September 2 at 11:49 am the Alexandria Fire Department, assisted by Arlington,   Fairfax, and Prince Georges (Md) County Fire Departments responded to a warehouse building fire in the 800 block of South Pickett Street.   First arriving firefighters found fire and thick smoke coming from a three story warehouse.  A second alarm was requested to assist in fighting the fire.  Firefighters began to enter the building to attack the fire when a section of the warehouse roof began to collapse.  The firefighters escaped the structure without injury.  Additional alarms were requested, bringing the total alarms up to 6 alarms to fight the warehouse fire.  Initial firefighting efforts were made somewhat difficult due to a water main break in the block of the fire.  However, firefighters quickly found alternate water sources and were able to establish a reliable water source with minimal delay.    

No one was in the warehouse at the time of the fire.  The building was closed due to the Labor Day holiday.  

Firefighters contained the fire shortly before 4pm.  Firefighters will remain on the scene throughout the night to fully extinguish the fire.    

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  Damage estimates were not made available at this time.