Washington, D.C. Firefighters Battle Transformer Vault Fire

Firefighters in the nation’s capital battled a spectacular transformer vault fire just blocks from the White House on the evening of Saturday, August 14, 2010.

The blaze erupted around 8 p.m. in the 1400 block of F Street NW, adjacent to the historic Willard hotel. At its height, flames were leaping about three stories into the air.

Washington, D.C. firefighters utilized hand lines to protect the exposed buildings until the utility company could cut the power and the fire diminished.

Seven engines, three trucks, a heavy rescue, the foam unit task force, and a multitude of chief officers and special units responded on the initial box alarm and subsequent working fire dispatch assignment.