1 person killed in Northeast DC senior living building fire

WASHINGTON - One person has died after a fire broke out at a senior living complex in Northeast D.C., according to D.C. Fire and EMS.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, a fire spokesperson said. No information about the victim had been released as of Wednesday night.

Firefighters said they were able to keep the blaze confined to one unit at the apartment complex on Fort Lincoln Drive in Northeast D.C. called The Petersburg.

While some residents left the building during the blaze, others sheltered in place. That includes Denise Brown's mother, who is in poor health.

"What in the world do I do? How do I get her downstairs?" Brown said about the moment they heard the fire alarm go off. "I get on the elevator, there's smoke coming from the top. You can smell the smoke."

In the end, firefighters told Brown and her mother to stay inside the building. Within a few hours of the fire starting Wednesday night, all residents had been allowed to return to their apartments.