Q Street Gas Station Fire Destroys Garage, Snarls Traffic

The service garage of the gas station on Q Street—known both as the Washingtonian Auto Shop and Georgetown Auto Service—went up in flames March 15. The fire started around 8 a.m. DC Fire & EMS spokesman Pete Piringer said it took firefighters 15 to 20 minutes to extinguish the fire at the corner of Wisconsin Ave. and Q St., NW. An Exxon gas and service station sits across the avenue.

“The fire caused significant damage to the building, a car inside the building and one car outside the building,” DC Fire said. Nearby restaurant Los Cuates also suffered damage from the fire. Piringer reported that fire investigators believe it was an accident: mechanics were working on a gas tank in a car with a space heater nearby and the fumes from the space heater ignited gasoline fumes. Three workers were examined, one for smoke inhalation, but all three refused transport to a hospital.

Wisconsin Avenue was blocked from Reservoir Road to P Street with about 11 fire vehicles—even a Navy foam unit had been called because of concern about a possible explosion, though it was not used. Damage is being assessed by the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

Bobby Gonzalez, owner of Georgetown Auto Service, owns another repair shop in Alexandria and is offering to drive to his Georgetown clients, pick up their car and return it when work is complete.