Over 100 firefighters battled a major blaze that started Tuesday at a strip warehouse located at 4407 Wheeler Ave. in Alexandria.
At 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, a fire alarm was reported, but according to a statement from the City, the blaze quickly escalated into a major fire with intense flames ripping through the roof of the building.
Wheeler Ave. was shut down in both directions between the 4000-4400 blocks.
Alexandria Fire Dept. was assisted by surrounding jurisdictions in intensive firefighting operations that continued through the night into Wednesday. NBC Washington DC reported that the fire department said the fire was so large that they only battled it from outside of the warehouse.
According to the City, the extended firefight was due, in large part, to hotspots that occurred under the collapsed structure. Although the fire was contained Tuesday night, the firefighting effort continued until about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, NBC Washington DC reported.
One firefighter suffered minor injury, was treated at INOVA Alexandria Hospital, and has since been released.
Post-fire work continues
Work at the scene is ongoing and the investigation and other operations are expected to continue for several days, the City stated. As of Wednesday, Alexandria’s structural engineers deemed the building unsafe for interior entry.
One business impacted was Jeffery’s Catering, a key provider for the Meals on Wheels program. The Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services and Senior Services of Alexandria are working together to assure participants continue getting meal deliveries, the City stated.
Meanwhile, Alexandria Health Department is working with affected food vendors to ensure that their temporary and repaired workspaces are safe and can get permitted as soon as possible to get them back up and running.
The cause of the fire has not yet been released. The City said special equipment, building engineers, and drone technology are being employed to assist in sifting through the collapsed portions of the building. The investigation is being conducted by a regional team that includes the ATF.
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