Fire Ravages Row House Shared by Rena Quallis and Seven Children

This morning, a fire forced Rena Quallis, her daughter Nicole, and four grandchildren to flee 525 13th St. NE, their home of 11 years. Three very young children Mrs. Quallis recently obtained custody of were away, visiting their mother, at the time of the blaze.

No one was hurt.

George Cromartie Jr., 532 13th St. NE, gave blankets to the children, who were walking across the street huddled together, some of them crying, and he escorted them into his home, where they stayed throughout the day while their mothers and grandmother cleared their possessions out of the house. E-rika, 11, the oldest of the children, also helped. Nicholas Robinson, 8, whose song was featured in the Nov. 23 Corner Forum, Michaela Robinson, 10, whose photo appeared in the Jan. 12 issue, and Eboni Robinson stayed with the Cromarties. As of this evening, the family's dark gray cat, Soldier, had not been found.

The fire began in the rear of the building, which sustained the most damage.

At least seven fire engines responded to the scene. Firefighters, who entered the building through the front door as well as by ladder, knocked the house's windows out and tossed out furniture.

Enoch Gray, who lives next door, at 523 13th St. NE, said firemen had broken a hole through his ceiling in their efforts to put out the fire.

Mrs. Quallis said it appeared as if the firemen had destroyed many of her possessions without cause. She said a fireman had been about to kick her front door in, when she told him it was unlocked.

Chester W. Hunter's (1310 Emerald St. NE) daughter was among the fire investigators working on the scene.

Mrs. Quallis said the fire was an electrical one that had started at a socket behind the couch, where the space heater was plugged in. She said that she had tried using the fire extinguisher to put the fire out, but that the extinguisher's pin was stuck, making it inoperable.

George Cromartie Jr. reported that firemen told him that fire engines had first responded to the 900 block of 13th Street, instead of the 500 block, because they had been given the wrong address.

Fire department spokesman Alan Etter did not return five messages left on his pager, seeking information on the fire.

Two officials from the American Red Cross came and provided a voucher enabling Mrs. Quallis her four grandchildren to stay at a hotel on New York Avenue for three nights, by which time she hopes the D.C. Housing Authority, which operates the HUD-owned row house, will be able to find a new place for them to stay. Mrs. Quallis said she hopes to receive a Section 8 housing voucher so the family does not have to live in a housing project.

Mrs. Quallis said she does not expect to be able to come back to the house. She said the Housing Authority has been trying to get her to move out so as to sell the property to a developer, and will now be able to do so.

The firemen and police left without offering any assistance in regards to patching up the windows or the back wall. As a result, the family was forced to salvage whatever items they wanted to keep, taking them either to neighbors' homes for safekeeping, or into their car, to take with them. §