Baltimore authorities said one fireman was killed and four others were wounded late Thursday afternoon, October 19, in a fire that quickly spread across a neighborhood of rowhouses in the city's northwest.
After three firemen were killed in January of last year while fighting a blaze in a vacant rowhouse in Baltimore, the department's procedures and training have come under increasing scrutiny in recent months. In the midst of the upheaval, local leaders demanded more monitoring of the agency.
Tragic Blaze That Claimed One Life
Just before 4:000 PM local time on Thursday, a two-alarm fire was reported. According to AP News, local television footage showed many rowhouses completely consumed in flames, with portions of the structures falling and black smoke rising from the windows and rooftops. Reportedly, the fire seemed to escalate swiftly when firefighters got to the site.
That night, police held a press conference outside the University of Maryland Medical System's Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore to announce that four injured firemen were taken to the hospital with burns of varied degrees and were being treated.
Newly appointed Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace added, "Tonight, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce one member has tragically perished as a result of his injuries." He declined to reveal the firefighter's identity until notification of next of kin.
Currently, there are no reports of civilian casualties, and authorities are still trying to determine what started the blaze.
Wallace said that it appeared as if one of the buildings was occupied. He claimed that thus far, investigators have been unable to pinpoint what sparked the fire's rapid growth. "What I can tell you is, we attacked this fire like we attack many fires."
Dozens of first responders gathered outside a Baltimore hospital hours before authorities formally acknowledged the firefighter's death. Later, several people formed a slow procession with an ambulance from the Baltimore Fire Department.
During the press conference, Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby remarked, "Firefighters are our living superheroes, and we don't expect to lose them. It's a reminder of what firefighters do on a regular basis to protect and serve our city."
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Something Much Worse Happened
The fire that took the lives of three Baltimore firemen in January 2022 has led to a closer look into the city's fire department, which is routinely called upon to react to dangerous situations when fires break out in the city's numerous abandoned buildings.
Months later, a study was made public that identified a number of flaws that might have put firemen at risk when the three-story brick structure collapsed. It discovered, among other things, that there was no system in place to warn firefighters about empty and potentially dangerous structures.
Also, the head of the fire department at the time stepped down from his position.
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