Home»BALTIMORE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT»INCIDENTS»2010 Fires and Incidents»5-Alarm 800 N. Charles St. 12-7-10

On December 6, 2010 the Baltimore City Fire Department was stretched to the limit when two devastating back-to-back five-alarm fires struck the Downtown area within a 12 hour span.
Most of the companies from the earlier Baltimore St. fire were packed up, back in quarters and cleaning up hoping to get some sleep for the rest of the night when the second fire would awaken them around 1:30 AM. Another 4-story building was ablaze. This one was located in the Mount Vernon area at Charles and Madison Streets. The fire was on the first floor of Donna’s Coffee Bar.
As firefighters entered and started to fight the fire it had gotten into the walls and ceiling and was travelling up to the top floors of the 160 year old historic building. The building had been renovated numerous times in the past and there were lowered ceilings and void spaces in the walls. A second alarm was quickly struck out followed by a third alarm some 20 minutes later. After opening up walls and ceilings for about an hour and chasing the fire to the upper floors it was decided to evacuate the building and commence exterior operations. Around 2:00 two extra engines and trucks were called in to assist crews. A 4th alarm was then sounded at 2:30. Temperatures were frigid with blustery winds gusting at 30-40 MPH and water was turning to ice as fast as it was hitting the streets. Firefighters were on ladder pipes and set up with handlines on the roofs of adjacent buildings and across the street to prevent flying embers from igniting more fires. After pouring water on the fire with ladder pipes and monitor pipes finally a 5th alarm was sounded at about 4:30 bringing more men and equipment including mutual aid companies from Baltimore and Anne Arundel Counties.
Once again mutual aid companies went in to Baltimore City taking valuable fire protection from the taxpayers of Howard, Baltimore, and Anne Arundel County due to the magnitude of these incidents and the daily rotating closures.
The fire was contained and finally declared under control at 9:30 AM the next morning.
Two minor firefighter injuries were reported along with one civilian during the fire.
Preliminary investigation reported the cause as electrical in nature in the rear portion of the restaurant on the first floor.
By daybreak ice had covered trees, street lights, poles, ladders and the apparatus. Firefighters had to chop at the ice to free the hoses and ladders and get the equipment back on the apparatus.