"We're gonna need some lights in here to determine exactly what's on fire," one firefighter was heard to say via scanner. "No active fire right now," one eventually reported at 3:35. Silverworks Studio and an unidentified painting studio were checked for fire and cleared at 3:39, according to scanner reports.
By 3:40, one firefighter determined a thermostat in an art studio/jewelry shop as the likely source of the fire and smoke. Piringer said sprinklers stopped the fire, there were no injuries, and that damage to the building was "moderate."
The historic (1892) Chautauqua Tower is adjacent to the studios mentioned during the scanner reports, so it's positive news that this fire was extinguished so quickly. It is the last remnant of the original Chautauqua at Glen Echo, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Photo via Pete Piringer
