WASHINGTON — Multiple cars parked on top of leaves have caught fire in D.C. over the last few days.
On Tuesday, around 9 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of an engulfed car, near Washington Circle, on New Hampshire Avenue NW.
Then, five hours later, D.C. Fire & EMS crews raced to the corner of 15th and D Streets SE, in DC’s Hill East neighborhood, to put out two sedans that had caught on fire.
Hill East resident Lesley DeRosa said she woke up to the blaze around 2:30 a.m.
“The fire started to creep onto the tree and then there were some piles of leaves that were on fire and, you know, I was definitely concerned that I may have had to run [from my apartment],” she said.
Multiple neighbors also told WUSA9 that a smaller fire had been set in a pile of leaves on the same Hill East block around 11:30 p.m.
D.C. Fire & EMS spokesperson Vito Maggiolo said the cause of the fire near Washington Circle NW is currently “undetermined." He said the department is still investigating the Hill East fires to see they whether they were the result of arson.
At a press conference Thursday, DC Fire Chief John A. Donnelly Senior was asked about the car fires. He told reporters that officials are looking into the incidents, saying he believes the cause for at least one of the fires was related to the leaves.
"I think that’s a big part of overarching what we’re trying to do to prevent fires," explained Donnelly. "It is not historically a common problem in the city so it is a little bit new to us to look at."
The chief says drivers should never park on anything combustible.
"People driving onto grass and lighting a fire, um, that may be happing here, [it] is something we need to educate the public on. So you shouldn’t park in a pile of leaves," said Donnelly.
A Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson said officers, at this time, are not investigating either incident.
On Wednesday, D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen wrote on Facebook to update the public on what he called multiple suspected incidents of arson in the Hill East neighborhood.
Allen added he has seen video of the incidents from neighbors’ cameras.
“Over the past few weeks, someone has been lighting piles of leaves on fire, most recently in the area around 15th and D St., SE last night,” he wrote. “The fire has spread to cars parked along the street and done serious damage. This is creating a very dangerous situation for neighbors and first responders.”
A spokesperson for Charles Allen could not comment on the exact number of fires that had been reported to his office. However, the spokesperson did say more than 2 had occurred.
Allen also expressed frustration with the D.C. Department of Public Works who he said have not collected leaves in Ward 6 in a timely manner.
“Last week and again on Monday evening, I pressed DPW Director Davis to focus on the delayed leaf collections and outline her plans to dedicate additional resources to collection,” Allen wrote. “So far, she has not replied with a plan. I'm attaching those requests below for your awareness.”
Hill East Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Corey Holman also said he was frustrated by the District’s efforts to pick up leaves in his community so far.
“I think these fires show the harm in letting leaves collect in a relatively dry part of the season, on the side of the road, when you have somebody lighting fires,” he said.
WUSA9 reached out to D.C. DPW for comment on leaf removal efforts in Ward 6 Wednesday night and received a statement the following day:
"All DPW-serviced streets, corridors, and residences receive two passes for collection during leaf season. By December 19, 2021, all DPW-serviced areas will have received their first pass for leaf collection," reads the statement. "Residents and business owners are responsible for ongoing leaf collection. DPW is in communication with key stakeholders including ANCs, Councilmembers, and community liaisons to keep them apprised of our leaf collection efforts and adjustments to collection schedules."
DPW also attached a letter sent to ANC commissioners says some crews are currently 10 days behind schedule.
"DPW has implemented additional personnel and extended tours of duty in an effort to have the first pass of leaves collected in all eight wards by the scheduled completion date of December 19, 2021," reads the letter.
Hill East Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Denise Krepp also spoke with neighbors about the fires that occurred in her neighborhood.
She said she was disappointed that the community was only now hearing about a possible link between fires in the neighborhood from Councilmember Allen.
“This community didn’t learn about it until after the most recent attack troubles me,” Krepp said.
She added she wants local leaders to take definitive action.
“What I need to hear from MPD is that ‘we are on it’,” she said. “What I need to hear from D.C. Fire is ‘we will deal with it’ and what I need to hear from the D.C. Council is we want the arsonist to be prosecuted.”