Neighbors reported an explosion before fire raged through at least 17 East Baltimore homes Monday afternoon, leading city investigators to consider a gas leak as a possible trigger.
A blast shook the mostly vacant row homes on the 300 block of East 20th Street between Barclay and Guilford Streets just after 3 p.m., fire officials said, creating a plume of thick black smoke that could be seen for miles and reduced visibility on the street to nothing.
One civilian and two firefighters were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries, city fire spokesman Kevin Cartwright said.
BGE officials were on the scene, but as of 6 p.m. conditions were still too dangerous for workers to shut off the block?s gas supply, BGE spokeswoman Linda Foy said.
Cartwright said it was “too early” to determine the fire?s cause.
“We arrived to find a very, very dramatic scene,” Cartwright said. “There were several dwellings completely engulfed in flames.”
Residents said they?ve had problems with thieves breaking into their homes and stealing stove pipes.
Mayor Martin O?Malley, who arrived on the scene after noticing the smoke cloud, said most of the buildings were city-owned and slated for redevelopment.
Trenelle Smith, 15, said he was helping his aunt move down the street when he heard an explosion and felt the ground shake.
Brien Winget said he felt the same explosion and looked outside to the house next door, but saw only a pile of bricks.
Smith said his home mostly survived, but Winget wasn?t so lucky.
“It was like an earthquake,” Winget said. “My whole third floor is gone. You can?t look back on it.”
A group of women frantically tried to reach a sister and friend who lived on the block. Onlookers choked on the acrid smoke pouring out of shattered windows and dodged the splash of fire hoses from aerial ladders.
Officials emphasized one row home can contain several units. They described the fire as two five-alarm fires that leaped from building to building.
G.I. Johnson, a spokesman for the city?s housing department, said the Office of Community Services will be available to help displaced residents relocate.
