Fire Rips Through Church, Buildings in Northwest DC

It was a busy night for firefighters in Northwest D.C., after a church and two adjacent buildings went up in flames on Sunday. 

The fire started just before 7 p.m. in the 5200 block of Georgia Avenue NW.

More than 100 firefighters responded to the blaze as smoke billowed from the top of the buildings. 

“Our biggest challenge, our most immediate challenge, was preventing further spread of the fire,” D.C. Fire and EMS spokesperson Vito Maggiolo said. 

No one inside the buildings was hurt, but a firefighter did suffer injuries that were not life-threatening.

Karen Serpas, a worker inside the Mariachi Restaurant and Bar, recorded video of the flames.

“It was full of smoke, and we all ran out,” she said. 

Ambzam Misgina, a business owner who is about to open a restaurant a few doors down, said he was shocked when he heard the news, but was thankful it wasn’t worse.

“Wow, I was so nervous. I thought the entire building was on fire, but thank God it’s saved and the fire department is close by, so it was good luck for us,” Misgina said.

With the fire under control, investigators are working to determine how it all started. There is no word yet on estimated damage.