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IRS headquarters closed due to basement fire; workers expected to telework Tuesday

The IRS' headquarters building will be closed Tuesday, April 5 following a basement fire on Monday afternoon. Agency employees who are telework-ready should pla...

Jory Heckman@jheckmanWFED

April 5, 2016 4:36 am

< a min read

The Internal Revenue Service’s headquarters building located at 1111 Constitution Ave., N.W., will be closed Tuesday, April 5 following a basement fire on Monday afternoon.

IRS spokesman Matthew Leas told Federal News Radio that agency employees who are telework-ready should plan on working from home Tuesday. As of 9 p.m. Monday, the building remains without full electricity, and the air handling system is inoperable.

No one was injured in the incident, and work crews continue to assess the situation.

Leas said the building was evacuated around 3:30 p.m. Monday after reports of smoke and fire in the basement. He said the fire was apparently contained to one room and was related to an electrical issue. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

More than 2,000 employees work in the IRS headquarters building. Tax returns are not processed at the building and will have no effect on tax return processing.