An elderly woman is dead and a second woman is in grave condition after a fire swept through a rowhouse in the Anacostia section of southeast tonight.

Around 7:30 pm. Saturday July 10, 2010 firefighters from the Third and Second Battalion were alerted for a reported house fire with people trapped in the 1600 block of W Street SE.

First arriving units reported smoke and fire showing from a two-story rowhouse with a report of two people still trapped inside the burning home.

With heavy fire conditions and a reported of people trapped a second alarm was transmitted bringing over 75 more firefighters to help battle the fire.

Firefighters from Rescue Squad 1, Truck Companies 16 & 7 arrived on the scene and quickly enter the dwelling and conducted a search of the rowhouse, they located two women on the top floor, both woman were not breathing and unconscious, they started CPR on both victims and quickly removed them to safety

Paramedics transported the two victims to a local hospital; according to fire officials an elderly woman 60-70 years old was pronounced dead at the hospital the second woman is in serious condition.

Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control within 20 minutes of arriving on the scene; three firefighters also were transported to a local hospital, two for heat exhaustion and one with a minor burn;

The cause of the fatal fire is under investigation