At 1232 hrs units with the 1st Battalion Fire Chief were alerted for a report of smoke coming from the apartment building at 4820 Benning Road SE. Truck 17 responded from quarters as the first due truck with Engine 30, just clearing a medical, placed second due on the box. As Truck 17 made its way down Benning Road smoke could be seen several blocks away blowing across Benning. Truck Company 17 arrived first on the scene of a 3 story brick apartment building with smoke showing from the second floor. The exterior team quickly got to work throwing ground ladders, ventilating horizontally and heading to the roof to complete vertical ventilation. The interior crew forced entry into the fire apartment and located the fire in a middle bedroom. The crew worked together to complete the tasks inside the fire apartment. The hook-&-can man held the fire in check with the water can and bedroom door as the officer and the barman conducted a rapid primary search of the rear bedroom and hallway. The search proved negative as Engine 27’s crew stretched their attack line to the bedroom and knocked down the fire. Engine 30 checked the basement and ran the 400’ preconnect to the third floor where they found some extension into the vertical exposure apartment. The fire was knocked down quickly and the asingment was scaled back to Engines 27, 30 and Trucks 17 and 16 to complete overhaul and assist investigators.
