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WORLD / America |
Fire breaks out in White House office building(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-20 00:01 WASHINGTON -- A fire broke out Wednesday morning in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building of the White House, the CNN reported. TV news footage showed firefighters breaking into offices where flames were clearly visible inside. Smoke could be seen from the White House driveway. Video footage showed firefighters breaking a window and spraying flames with a hose. A spokesman for the Washington D.C. Fire Department said the fire started in an electrical closet or telephone bank area on the third floor. Firefighters responded very quickly, he added. The Eisenhower has been evacuated, and there was a lot of smoke associated with the fire, but there were no reports of injuries. The building, built between 1871 and 1888, is located across a driveway from the main White House building. The blaze appeared to be located near the ceremonial office of Vice President Dick Cheney on the second floor of the building. At the time the fire broke out the vice president was across the drive in his office in the West Wing of the White House. Also called the Old Executive Office Building, it was originally built for the State, War and Navy Departments and is an example of the French Second Empire style of architecture. The building now houses the ceremonial office of the Vice President, the Office of Management and Budget and staff of the National Security Council and other White House agencies. |
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