Home»BALTIMORE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT»INCIDENTS»2015 Fires and Incidents»3-Alarms 3436-44 S. Hanover St. 11-9-15

Shortly before midnight on November 9, 2015 Squad 26 and Truck 6 were dispatched to an automatic fire alarm in the Locust Point Marine Terminal off of Fort Avenue. When they arrived they found nothing. As they were leaving the officer of Squad 26 could see fire and smoke in the south end of the City and asked Communications if they had any reports of any fire in the area or in nearby Anne Arundel County. They replied no and when Squad 26 and Truck 6 cleared they headed towards south Baltimore to investigate. Within minutes Communications now reported a dwelling fire in the 3400 block of South Hanover Street and struck out the fire box for it. Engine 35 was first to arrive on the scene and reported a 3-story vacant dwelling with heavy fire showing from the front and extending to both sides. Within minutes five buildings in the group were now involved.
When Battalion Chief 6 arrived he asked for a working fire assignment. Companies set up for exterior operations as the rear walls were collapsing and the fire was gaining hold of the whole block of 2 and 3-story buildings. At 0017 hours a second alarm was struck out to supplement the already low water supply in the area. A third alarm was struck out at 0035 bringing additional manpower to the scene. About 100 firefighters with about 30 pieces of apparatus were on hand. Companies surrounded the block of houses and kept the fire from extending across an alleyway to the former O’Brady’s Saloon, a 2-story frame building, which has been vacant for some time. The fire was brought under control by 0400 hours.
The fire rekindled around 7:30 in the morning and a reduced box assignment was sent out to the scene to extinguish the fire and stand watch throughout the day while Public Works tore down the rest of the damaged buildings.
No injuries were reported and Fire Investigation was on the scene to determine the cause. Squatters were known to live in the building and all were reported out when firefighters arrived.