A fire broke out Wednesday in the Executive Office Building in the White House compound, but Washington fire fighters quickly had the blaze under control.
Smoke billowed from the historic building as emergency crews rushed to the scene. Fire fighters broke windows, moved furniture to a balcony and sprayed water as they fought the blaze.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says the source of the fire may have been an electrical closet or telephone bank. She says the blaze was put out in 30 minutes.
The Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which houses White House staff, was evacuated.
The fire started in the suite of ceremonial offices of Vice President Dick Cheney. A White House spokesman said the vice president was across the way in the White House with President Bush at the time of the fire.
President Bush and Vice President Cheney later greeted fire fighters and Secret Service personnel on the scene.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.