Small Blaze Quelled in Arizona Congressman’s Office

WASHINGTON — A small fire broke out in the Capitol Hill office of Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs on Thursday morning, sparked by a malfunctioning space heater.

The incident caused smoke to spread within the office building, which houses various lawmakers’ offices and committee rooms. Biggs later confirmed the fire was quickly contained, emphasizing that no injuries occurred.

“Earlier this morning, a space heater caught fire under one of my staffer’s desks. Fortunately, no one was harmed,” Biggs stated in a social media post. He praised the swift actions of his staff and interns, who managed to extinguish the flames before emergency responders arrived.

District of Columbia Fire and EMS reported that firefighters found a small space heater already extinguished with a dry chemical extinguisher upon arrival. They noted that the situation was contained without any further damage.

The Cannon office building, home to Biggs’ office, is one of three office buildings used by U.S. House lawmakers just outside the Capitol. Lawmakers are assigned to their offices based on seniority and a lottery system, which incoming members of the House recently participated in.

Last updated 9:05 a.m., Nov. 21, 2024