A fire broke out near US vice president Dick Cheney's ceremonial office in a building overlooking the White House today, forcing hundreds of government staffers to evacuate.
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 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.
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.