Fire extinguished after forcing evacuation of downtown DC hotels near White House

Fire in front of downtown DC hotels extinguished

WASHINGTON — A fire that forced the evacuation of two hotels in downtown Washington near the White House has been extinguished. No injuries were reported.

The fire started around 7:45 p.m. Saturday and appeared to have been sparked by an underground electrical transformer.

The flames shot into the air in front of the W and Willard hotels on F Street about a block east of the White House.

D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services spokesman Pete Piringer says the fire was put out around 9 p.m. and power was restored to the area around 10 p.m.

Neither hotel was damaged.