Sunday, January 25, 2009

Washington fire officials say the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House, was evacuated briefly after smoke from a fireplace clouded one of the floors.

Firefighters were called to the building at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest about 1 p.m. Sunday.

Fire spokesman Alan Etter says firefighters extinguished a fire in a fireplace on the second floor. They believe an obstruction in a chimney caused light smoke to build up on the fourth floor. No damage was reported.



The Secret Service evacuated the building for about 30 minutes as a precaution. There were a few people inside the building, which houses White House staff.

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