From correspondents in Washington

December 20, 2007 05:00am
Article from: Reuters

A FIRE broke out near US Vice President Dick Cheney's ceremonial office
in a building overlooking the White House overnight, forcing hundreds of
government staffers to evacuate.

Mr Cheney was in the White House with President George W. Bush receiving
their morning intelligence briefings when the blaze began and people
were evacuated from the executive office building safely, White House
officials said.

Smoke billowed from the second floor of the Eisenhower Executive Office
Building, a hulking granite structure that is part of the White House
complex and faces the West Wing of the presidential mansion.
Firefighters arrived and quickly brought the blaze under control.

"Everyone's been evacuated safely," White House spokesman Scott Stanzel
said. "There were no injuries that we know of."

The fire appeared to have been contained to only a few offices. Smoke
was wafting from one window of Mr Cheney's office.

He usually works inside the White House itself.

Fire Department spokesman Alan Etter said firefighters saw smoke coming
out of telephone or electrical equipment and there was no indication of
terrorism.

Washington was targeted in the September 11, 2001, hijacked plane
attacks and there have been numerous security scares since.

There were no evacuations from the White House itself.

Mr Cheney uses his ceremonial office for staff meetings and talks with
visiting dignitaries and large groups, said his spokeswoman, Megan Mitchell.

"The vice president is in his West Wing office now. He's meeting with
staff," she said.

The EEOB, a granite and cast-iron structure, was built between 1871 and
1888. It also houses offices of the National Security Council as well as
some senior advisers.