BALTIMORE, Sept. 29 — Emergency crews responded early Sunday to an underground fire and multiple manhole explosions in downtown Baltimore, prompting widespread power outages and traffic disruptions. The incident occurred in the 300 block of N. Charles Street, with smoke reported emitting from several manholes and fire visible from one.
According to officials, the Baltimore City Fire Department, along with the Baltimore City Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, Department of Transportation, and BGE, responded to the scene. Power was immediately shut down in the area to allow crews to safely extinguish the fire. The outage is affecting businesses and residences within the downtown grid of Lexington, Mulberry, Saratoga, Calvert, and Sharp streets.
Several essential buildings, including University of Maryland: Midtown Hospital, were forced to operate on generator power. Other city buildings were similarly impacted, but emergency power systems have been activated, according to officials.
Residents in the surrounding area have also experienced outages as BGE and fire department crews work to restore power. “At present, threats to the public have been mitigated, and crews will continue working,” the Baltimore City Fire Department said in a statement.
Traffic in the vicinity of N. Charles Street between Lexington and Saratoga streets remains heavily disrupted, and city officials have advised drivers to avoid the area throughout the day.
There have been no reports of injuries, and updates on power restoration and traffic impacts are expected as the situation develops.