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Public Safety

Wind causes roof damage and evacuation of District apartment building

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November 30, 2016 at 9:34 p.m. EST
D.C. firefighters inspect damage to the roof of Northwest Washington apartment building Wednesday night. (Vito Maggiolo/D.C. Fire and EMS Department)

High winds sheared rubber sheeting from the roof a Northwest Washington apartment building Wednesday evening, forcing 10 people from their homes, D.C. Fire and EMS officials said.

Firefighters responded to the 400 block of Cedar Street, in the Takoma area, where an estimated 100 x 100 foot section of protective sheeting was ripped from an 12-unit building about 6:40 p.m., said Vito Maggiolo, a fire department spokesman.

No injuries were reported, even though debris had been blown across Cedar Street into a gas station parking lot.

Authorities also discovered that winds had damaged two porch roofs from an adjacent building.

The damage left the building roof unprotected and water seeping inside, which forced the evacuation. The 10 evacuees were being helped by the Red Cross and the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services, Maggiolo said.