Visitors 58
Modified 14-Jan-24
Created 19-Nov-23
90 photos
On Saturday morning, November 18, 2023 around 0830 hours several units responded to a report of a fire and possible explosion in the 1500 block of Ridgely St. in the Carroll-Camden Industrial area of south Baltimore. When they arrived there was fire burning in the sidewalk area in front of 1575 along with an overhead electric powerline dangling from a pole. Apparently the electric line broke and fell down, sparking an unknown underground gas leak causing the explosion. This also caused a fire in the basement of the house. The explosion also blew out the rear wall of the home. Just moments before the occupant of the home was sitting on the front steps and had just gone back into the house when it exploded. He received minor injuries and was treated on the scene.
Units on the scene requested the full Fire Box at 0849. Firefighters cordoned off the area and evacuated residents from the immediate neighborhood, while requesting BGE Gas Service to respond. Firefighters continued to contain the fire in the basement while it burned until BGE crews could locate and shut off the gas supplying the fire. It took crews several hours, once they located the gas main, to dig up the street before they were able to secure and shut down the gas, feeding the fire. The incident was placed under control at 1356 hours.
A Building Inspector was also dispatched to the scene and he condemned the structure displacing the family that lived there. The home was torn down the following day. This explosion and fire occurred almost a year ago to the day that another similar gas explosion destroyed several homes and injured three people just a few blocks away. Gas contractors have been working on the gas lines in the surrounding neighborhood for several months.
Units on the scene requested the full Fire Box at 0849. Firefighters cordoned off the area and evacuated residents from the immediate neighborhood, while requesting BGE Gas Service to respond. Firefighters continued to contain the fire in the basement while it burned until BGE crews could locate and shut off the gas supplying the fire. It took crews several hours, once they located the gas main, to dig up the street before they were able to secure and shut down the gas, feeding the fire. The incident was placed under control at 1356 hours.
A Building Inspector was also dispatched to the scene and he condemned the structure displacing the family that lived there. The home was torn down the following day. This explosion and fire occurred almost a year ago to the day that another similar gas explosion destroyed several homes and injured three people just a few blocks away. Gas contractors have been working on the gas lines in the surrounding neighborhood for several months.
© Howard Meile III