A 38-year-old man jumped to his death early Wednesday while trying to escape from an apartment fire in Columbia Heights that authorities believe was set intentionally.
The blaze broke out at the Sarbin Towers, located at 3132 16th St. NW, at about 3:45 a.m., D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin said. Investigators said the fire originated in a fifth-floor hallway area of the eight-story, 63-unit building.
The man who jumped from a fifth-floor window was taken to a hospital, where he died. He was the only person killed in the blaze, but fire officials said at least seven people were taken to area hospitals to receive treatment for burns and smoke inhalation.
Four people were hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday night, including a 2-year-old girl who was airlifted to Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston.
Firefighters saw heavy flames and smoke when they arrived at the scene, according to fire department spokesman Pete Piringer. They rescued dozens of people, including some who were hanging from the building’s windows to escape the flames.
Rubin said that neighbors had reported a domestic dispute shortly before the fire broke out.
“We have several people of interest,” Rubin said of the investigation, but no one had been arrested by early Wednesday night.
About 125 people were evacuated after the blaze broke out, receiving shelter at a neighborhood recreational center. They were being helped by the American Red Cross and other agencies, and some people were later taken to area hotels.
Rubin said that Sarbin Towers residents who lived on a floor other than the fifth could move back in “shortly,” but those from the fifth floor could be displaced as long as two weeks.
Officials said that the apartment complex sustained significant damage, especially on the fifth floor, but cost estimates were not available Wednesday.
Examiner intern Kristen Byrne contributed to this report.
