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Modified 27-Mar-22
Created 5-Jan-22
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It didn’t take long into the new year for the first multiple alarm fire to strike Baltimore. It was also the first cold snap of the season with temperatures hovering in the 20’s. On Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at 0425 hours Fire Box 13-23 was struck out for a building fire at 101 West 22nd Street in the Charles Village area, north of downtown Baltimore. First arriving units on the scene reported smoke and fire showing on multiple floors of a 4-story brick commercial building. Battalion Chief 2, John Neuberger arrived and established Command. Companies began an interior attack and made their way to the third floor where heavy fire was showing. They started darkening down the fire, proceeding to the fourth floor. As crews advanced to the fourth floor the fire lit off behind them. Crews again knocked the fire down and went to the fourth floor. The fourth floor was cut up into many rooms and crews were having trouble locating the seat of the fire. Command requested a second alarm at 0437. Crews working on the roof reported that the fire appeared to be in a hidden cockloft above the crews inside and was starting to vent through the roof. Car 5(Shift Commander) arrived on the scene and took over Command. Crews were then ordered to evacuate the building and begin exterior operations.
Within minutes the third and fourth floors were fully involved with heavy fire throughout and venting through the roof. Car 5 then requested the third alarm at 0457. Ladder pipes were then set up in the front and rear of the building as well as portable monitor pipes and large caliber handlines. As crews battled the evolving blaze a fourth alarm was struck at 0521.
Low water pressure in the area was beginning to hamper firefighting efforts and the Water Department was called to boost the pressure in the mains. Several special calls for more engines followed to secure hydrants outside the immediate area and to bring in additional water.
As daylight broke day-shift crews began arriving to relieve the night shift as the fire was beginning to subside. The fire was placed under control around 10:00AM.
The building housed a restaurant on the first floor, studios on the second floor, and apartments and offices on the third and fourth floors. The building was pretty well vacant at the time as some of the tenants were evicted in previous weeks. A couple of occupants were reported to have escaped before the Fire Department arrived.
The fire and circumstances was deemed suspicious and Fire Investigation requested assistance from Police Arson as well as the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms task force.
Well over 170 firefighters with 40 pieces of equipment battled the blaze. There were no injuries reported and downtown traffic into the City was tied up for several hours during the morning rush hour.
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