$1.8M In Damage Caused By Fire In Crystal City's Restaurant Row

ARLINGTON, VA — A two-alarm fire Saturday night at a commercial building in Crystal City's restaurant row caused $1.8 million in damage, according to the Arlington County Fire & Rescue Department.

Fire units responded shortly after 10 p.m. for the report of a commercial building fire in the 500 block of 23rd St S. in Crystal City. Once firefighters began working on the blaze, they were met with thick smoke inside the structure, making it difficult for them to see. A second alarm was issued, which brought nearly 30 apparatus and 100 firefighters to the scene.

The conditions inside the structure forced fire personnel to exit the building and ladder trucks were used to pour large amounts of water from an exterior elevated position. This allowed crews to re-enter the building and knock down the remaining fire.

Just before midnight, the fire was considered extinguished and crews began mopping up operations. No injuries were reported.

As of Monday afternoon, fire inspectors had not identified the cause of the fire, but damages were assessed at nearly $1.8 million.

On Sunday, Chris Hernandez launched a GoFundMe page to raise $20,000 to help rebuild Top Thai, one of the restaurants damaged in the fire. The donations will also help the restaurant's employees during this time of emergency.

Both Crystal City Sports Club and Federico Ristorante Italiano, which are located on either side of Top Thai, were open for business on Sunday, according posts on their Facebook page.