Helping During War Time; Fire on Eisenhower Executive Office Building
COLLINS: Quickly, we want to get you back to this breaking news that we're following, across the street, I should say, from the White House. You're looking at the executive office building. It's on fire. We can see the flames there, now inside the building.</s>HARRIS: Whoa!</s>COLLINS: We've just watched some of the firemen who are inside the building. Break out some of those windows and now we see these plumes of smoke coming out, just a rush of smoke. Again, this is the executive office building located next to the west wing. This is the building where a lot of the offices for the White House staff are located. A very, very old building. A beautiful building, but, now, on fire.</s>HARRIS: You know, this is a building where a lot of ceremonial events actually take place. We're talking about signings. We're talking about press opportunities as well. The president will do some high profile meetings and photo opposite from that building. We can recall seeing the shots repeatedly of the president walking from the west wing over to that building to hold an event or the other. And Kathleen Koch, who is involved, just moments ago getting some information on a story that you were just reporting just minutes ago on the air here. Kathleen, I know we pulled you from the White House gaggle. I don't know if you've had any opportunity to sort of get an assessment on what is going on here, but what do you know?</s>KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, basically, I was pulled out of the informal meeting that Dana Perino has with the reporters every morning because they said the Eisenhower Executive Office Building right next to the White House is on fire. And I came out and I'm watching now on what appears to me, to be about the third floor of the EEOB. Dark, gray smoke. And I guess you have the shot as well pouring out of it. I can see it from right here, where I'm standing. When I came out, there was at least one fire engine in the driveway between the White House and the EEOB and then, as I was getting hooked up here, just a moment ago, firefighters went running down the pathway and I can hear more sirens so there may be more on the way. They were also breaking windows out of the EEOB as I came running out. I don't hear them breaking the glass anymore but the smoke is certainly pouring out fast and furious. Now, I'm not exactly sure what offices are located in that part of the EEOB but the building has been under renovation for sometime. I was just in there a week or so ago. And as you go down the halls, you will suddenly enter an area where a wall is blocked off because they are doing some work. So, I don't know if this fire could have anything at all to do with the renovation and construction under way in some parts of the building, Tony.</s>COLLINS: Yes. It might be worth pointing out, too, Kathleen, that this is a very, very old building. According to some of our notes here, built between 1871 and 1888. It took about 17 years to complete this, quote, "masterpiece." It really is an architectural masterpiece. Can you give us an idea, Kathleen, just for people who may not be aware of typically, what would be going on in this building on a day like today? Maybe, how many people would be over there? I mean, obviously, it's a very large structure.</s>KOCH: It is very large structure. And Heidi, you may soon have some difficulty hearing me because, as I said, these sirens are getting louder and louder. And I see fire engines more pulling up here coming down Pennsylvania Avenue and looking like they are waiting, just a moment, to get through the security barriers that they have here on Pennsylvania Avenue. Obviously, they stopped traffic, you know, years ago on Pennsylvania Avenue. So, there are barriers that the vehicles have to pass through before they can get up to. But it looks like soon, we will have several engines working on this fire. But as far as how many people work in the building, I will try to have my producer do a little research on it. But I will tell you, just counting here. Let me see, one, two, three, four, five, roughly about a six to seven-story building. And when I have been in there in the past, and I said, it's recently, just a couple of weeks ago, it is jam-packed with White House personnel. People who work in a support capacity for the president. And again, here comes some more engines.</s>HARRIS: Kathleen, well, you know what? We should probably take a moment here to welcome our international viewers who are joining us at this point in time, because this is a bit of an event that we're watching unfold here on live television. The Eisenhower Executive Office Building on fire right now. And Kathleen, what do you think? The third floor of the building?</s>KOCH: Well, that's what I see is the third floor. And, Tony, someone just informed me that apparently, the office from which all of that dark smoke is emanating is adjacent to the vice president's ceremonial office. So again, I don't know if that at all, is the area, any of the area that is being renovated right now. But again, there are staffers. This building is jam-packed with people...</s>HARRIS: You can't imagine that is a building. How old is that building? You can't imagine that building has, maybe it has, has been retrofitted with sprinklers. So, I mean, this is a situation where the fire goes until the firefighters can get there and do their work. You can see the firefighters on the scene right now, doing the best they can. And was there a moment in time, as we recap, this story for everyone watching where windows were actually knocked out there, Kathleen?</s>KOCH: Yes, Yes, Tony. Again, as I was running out of the White House briefing room to come out here, to do this live report, I could hear the sound of glass being smashed.</s>HARRIS: Well, there goes one now. Yeah, there goes one now.</s>KOCH: Now I'm hearing some loud speakers as well. The firefighters communicating. I don't know if they're telling the personnel to get back. It's hard from my advantage point to make out what they are saying. But this building, again, I would assume that, that was part of the retrofit that they were working on. It was certainly modernizing it. But, again, being built between 1871 and 1888, it certainly would not, at least, originally have had modern smoke alarms, modern sprinkler system.</s>COLLINS: Hi, Kathleen. You know, just trying to bring some context here to what we are watching because it's difficult, when we switch from our live video back to the video that we had recorded just a few minutes ago, when all of this first began. But I will tell you, I'm watching this and I know you have a much better advantage point, obviously, than I do. But, it seemed like the smoke was dying down for a bit and then they opened up some more windows and now, we have another rush of this plume of smoke that's coming out. I know that a second alarm, I'm being told a second alarm has been called to this fire so I'm wondering if you are noticing, see, there it is now in the background, even more fire crews showing up on the scene.</s>KOCH: I am, Heidi. And I'm seeing, they are now stringing fire hoses down the driveway. But what's interesting is I thought that the fire engine down at the end of the road was waiting to come down here to get through the barrier to help. But it appears to be stationary on the corner down there. So, I don't know if firefighters now entering from the other corner of the building, that the fire is so extensive, that it is being fought from both sides, both the 17th street side and then, this side. So perhaps, you know, we need to get another crew over there, to the other side of the building to get advantage point of what is going on.</s>HARRIS: Sure. Look at the live pictures. I don't know, if you can, well, maybe you can see it from your advantage point. We're trying to get you as close as possible there, Kathleen, but there's a lot of smoke coming out on that building right now. And I'm wondering, I'm imagining that the building has been evacuated at this point in time. Another question I have is was the president letting the sign the Energy Bill from that building or from one of the rooms in the White House?</s>KOCH: No, Tony. He was going over to the Energy Department to sign the Energy Bill, so he wasn't planning on being in this building. And as far as people being evacuated, I think I would certainly make sense that they would have done that rapidly. However, I'll tell you from my advantage point here, at least I don't see crowds of people outside, you know, huddled, trying to stay warm. So, if they have evacuated, perhaps, they have evacuated down to the southern end of this driveway which is immediately between the White House and the EEOB out of our point of view. Because right now -- or they could have also taken them out, certainly, on the 17th street side. I don't see anyone in the front of the building on Pennsylvania Avenue. So, one would certainly assume with a fire of this magnitude going on and the number of trucks we've seen responded, they would've gotten everyone out of the building, Tony.</s>HARRIS: And the other thing that occurs to me, Heidi and I were talking about it just a moment ago. We can clearly visualize a number of occasions we've seen the president walk over to that building for some kind of ceremonial event, a press event, a photo-op of some kind. That is a well-used building by a lot of the White House staffers and the president himself.</s>KOCH: It is, indeed. And the president does, as you mention, especially when he is expecting a larger audience, to have a number of events announcements over there and, again, we members of the press are allowed to walk across and into the building. Normally, that is an area of the building that is somewhat off limits to us. But, as I mentioned, there are staffer offices there. There is a cafeteria, obviously, in the building. There are medical facilities in the building. So, if anyone were to be injured, you could go over there and seek medical help. A wide number of staffers and different uses for this building which truly is one of the most beautiful in Washington. I walk past it everyday, when I come to the White House and, to me, actually, it's very reminiscent of some of the beautiful old buildings in Paris. That's certainly what it reminds me of it. It's quite sad to see this dark smoke billowing out, but it seems to be decreasing now, Tony.</s>HARRIS: Well, that was my next question. You know, as you handle expertly the play-by-play for us, what are you seeing? I mean, we've got live pictures up and it looks like there is an area here.</s>KOCH: Its every time, they knock out another window.</s>HARRIS: Knock out another window, change an angle.</s>KOCH: Right. I was going to say. The smoke now is starting again. So, I don't know if it's confined to an area inside and the smoke is decreasing and then, they break another window and there is another, a new oxygen source for the fire and then, it flares up again. I'm hearing a banging. I don't know if that is breaking of glass. Why don't we turn our cameras around? Now, we've panned around. And now, you can see it, from our advantage point between where we are and that driveway and the EEOB, there is a metal fence. And so, we stand over on this side. And this is the point of view again that you're seeing from my camera that we have.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, storm out another window.</s>KOCH: Sirens coming. Yes?</s>HARRIS: Kathleen, I know, Heidi has got someone on the phone, we're going to talk to in just a moment. Maybe, you know, let me not ask you the question I was about to ask you and, Heidi, I know you'll take care of it with our guest.</s>COLLINS: Well now, just pointing out some other view that we're getting here. We can see them, sort of removing some furniture, I guess from one of those larger windows and doors there, just probably trying to clear some of the debris. So, they can get their work done. But again, every time, it seems like they knock out one of the windows, obviously, you're going to have a rush of that smoke just come billowing out. And boy, there is another one. Every time they do that, obviously, it's still a very, very active fire. In fact, the person who can tell us most about us this is the D.C. Fire Department public information officer Allen Etter is on the line with us now. Allen, if you can hear me OK, tell us what you know, about what is going on inside the building.</s>ALLEN ETTER, D.C. FIRE DEPARTMENT: I can tell you that the situation is on the third floor.</s>COLLINS: OK.</s>ETTER: There, apparently, was a fire reported. What appears to be an electrical closet or possibly a telephone bank area. The firefighters responded very quickly. I got up there very quickly to make sure that they had this contained. Now, there's a lot of smoke. We're going to be here for a while to try to ventilate the smoke and make sure that -- and of course, the building has been evacuated. The whole building has been evacuated. We have no reports of injuries, which is very good news.</s>COLLINS: Yes, very good news. Allen, listen, while we have you on the line and while we are looking at the live pictures, tell us a little bit more about, exactly, how this works. I mean, obviously, the firemen get in there as fast as they can and they try to do this ventilation but it is a little alarming when you look at it, just so the late person, to see all that smoke come rushing out each time they knock out one of those windows.</s>ETTER: Well, you know, we want people to rest assured that we have this under control. We responded with a second alarm response, just to make sure that we have the proper manpower and the equipment here, to handle, if this evolves into something greater. Again, firefighters responded very quickly. We got up, we identified where the situation was but now, of course, the secret service is working with a number of agencies here on the scene to identify where the problem is and we have, you know, stage units outside which might be a little disturbing to some folks who are looking outside who aren't used to seeing this kind activity around here.</s>COLLINS: Yes, absolutely.</s>ETTER: But, you know, again, we have no reports of injuries. We are working to go clear up the situation right now. There's a lot of smoke associated with this. So we're working very diligently with the folks in the building to make sure that nobody gets hurt.</s>COLLINS: Yes and you know, we've been talking a little bit about the renovations that has been going on there. Any idea from where you are and what you're hearing from crews inside about the type of system they may have had in place in that old, old building to contain fire or at least knock it down a bit? With sprinkler systems or is this completely being done by the fire crews?</s>ETTER: I don't have any information relative to that. I mean, I have not been inside. But, you know, I do know that some parts of the building are sprinklered. I don't know if sprinklers are activated in this case or not. I don't believe they did because there was an effort by firefighters to actually contain this fire so I don't know. You know, again, the issue at hand is the fact there's a smoke inside the building and we need to get that out of there before we can let people back in.</s>COLLINS: Yes. Certainly and you said, you're going to be there for a while, so we, of course, will be watching this very closely. Next to you, as all of these fire crews are inside trying to get this fire out. Again, if you are just joining us, you are looking at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. It's located next to the west wing of the White House. All kinds of offices in there for White House staff and the president has had an office there. Secretary of the State, Secretary of nave, of war. I mean, it just goes on and on. The history of this building is pretty incredible.</s>HARRIS: Allen, are you still on the line? Did we lose Allen? He's gone. OK. You know, just curious, are they dealing mostly of smoke event right now or there still flames associated with what's going on right now. Well, as we watch the scene unfold, once again we're coming up on the top of the hour. Want to welcome everyone back to the CNN NEWSROOM including our international viewers who are watching us right now from around the world. We are showing you pictures out of Washington, D.C., and a building very close to the White House. It is part of the White House campus really, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. A beautiful, ornate old building. 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