Basement fire damages Anacostia church A small fire in the basement of a Southeast Washington church on Friday was quickly extinguished but caused smoke damage throughout the building, according to a D.C. fire department spokesman. The fire was reported at 12:51 p.m. at Ambassador Baptist Church in the 1400 block of Minnesota Ave. SE, in Anacostia, said Oscar Mendez, a spokesman for the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services. It was brought under control shortly after 1 p.m., he said. Mendez said a cause of the fire had not been determined early Friday afternoon.