East Baltimore Senior Housing Evacuated Due to Underground Fire

A senior apartment complex located in East Baltimore was evacuated early Friday morning following the discovery of an underground fire.

Firefighters responded to a report of a fire in the 1200 block of Greenmount Avenue, initially believed to be a grass fire, according to Khalilah Yancey, a spokesperson for the Baltimore City Fire Department. Upon arrival, crews detected a gas odor, leading them to request a hazmat response from Baltimore Gas & Electric.

The fire was quickly extinguished, but due to the situation's severity, a second alarm was activated to bring in additional resources. This included the deployment of an MTA bus to provide temporary shelter for the evacuated residents.

In addition to fire crews, personnel from Baltimore Police, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, and the Office of Emergency Management were on the scene to assist with the evacuation and ensure public safety.

As of 8 a.m., several blocks of Greenmount Avenue, from Preston Street to Biddle Street, were closed off to traffic while the situation was being managed.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the incident. The cause of the underground fire remains under investigation.

Reported by HarborBeat based on The Baltimore Banner (source).