A 5-Alarm fire destroyed the apartment building at 3145 Mt Pleasant Street NW this morning. All residents were displaced and many exited the building by way of ladder truck. There are no known causes of the fire as of yet and no tenants were injured, thankfully. As of 8am, the fire was still burning. According to the Washington Post, one firefighter was injured. There were nearly 90 apartments in the building.
At an early morning news conference, Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham chastised the owner of the building. Graham accused the unnamed owner, who lives in Pennsylvania, of repeatedly attempting to force tenants out through building neglect in order to convert the building into condos or luxury apartments.
The Meridian Hill Baptist Church, on 16th Street NW, also received major damage, with 3/4 of the roof destroyed by fire. According to media reports most of the sanctuary and religious items were spared and offices on the upper floors bore most of the damage. Mt Pleasant Street was closed this morning south of Lamont Street. Also, 16th Street was closed from Meridan Place down to Harvard and Irving Street was closed east of Mt Pleasant Street.
At an early morning news conference, Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham chastised the owner of the building. Graham accused the unnamed owner, who lives in Pennsylvania, of repeatedly attempting to force tenants out through building neglect in order to convert the building into condos or luxury apartments.
The Meridian Hill Baptist Church, on 16th Street NW, also received major damage, with 3/4 of the roof destroyed by fire. According to media reports most of the sanctuary and religious items were spared and offices on the upper floors bore most of the damage. Mt Pleasant Street was closed this morning south of Lamont Street. Also, 16th Street was closed from Meridan Place down to Harvard and Irving Street was closed east of Mt Pleasant Street.
