An early morning rowhouse fire in Northeast destroyed several homes on Montello Ave., NE and left an elderly woman critically injured.

The fire, in the 1200 block of Montello Ave., NE, has been labeled incendiary in nature and suspicious by fire investigators. While the exact cause has not yet been identified, fire investigators have determined human involvement played a part in its ignition.

Fire/EMS units responded to that location shortly after 4 am and encountered heavy fire and smoke conditions in a vacant end unit rowhouse. A search of the adjacent structures found an 88-year-old woman suffering from smoke inhalation. She was rescued from the rowhouse, treated by EMS professionals, and transported to the George Washington University Hospital, where she is being treated.

"Firefighters did an exceptional job in attacking and containing this fire," said acting Deputy Fire Chief Doug Smith, the incident commander. "This was a situation in which the entire block was threatened, but because of the quick actions of our firefighters, that was avoided."

Damage estimates have been set at $205,000. If you have information about this or other suspicious fires, call the DC Fire/EMS Arson Tip Line at (202) 673-ARSON (2776).