DCFD ENGINE 20, TRUCK 12, BFC 5

A massive two alarm blaze in a Spring Valley mansion destroyed the home of a well known Washingtonian on Wednesday evening, July 29th.

The fire, at 3022 Chain Bridge Road NW, gutted the residence of Peggy Cooper Cafritz, a former head of the Washington school board and benefactor of the arts. Her priceless art collection was also consumed by the flames.

Box alarm units arrived to find heavy fire involving a large portion of the first floor in the three story detached frame mansion. An initial interior attack made good headway against the blaze, but a sudden loss of water pressure turned the tide against firefighters.

Without an adequate water supply, companies had to withdraw from the structure, and flames roared into the upper floors and attic. An extensive water relay had to be set up to deliver a sufficient volume for ladder pipes and other large diameter streams.

The battle raged on for several hours before the blaze was finally brought under control. One firefighter was transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.