Firefighters Battle Overnight Warehouse Fire In Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) - Fire crews were called to a 3-alarm fire at an abandoned Baltimore City warehouse early Friday morning.

Officials responded to the 500 block of South Monroe Street just before 3:30 a.m.

When they arrived, they saw heavy smoke and flames exiting from the three story warehouse. The building used to be the Royal Furniture warehouse before becoming vacant.

Despite how large the fire was, firefighters never entered the building.

"We're definitely not going to put our lives at risk to go into a vacant building that's been vacant for over a decade we don't know the condition or the structure of the floors or the ceiling for that matter," said City fire spokesperson Blair Adams.

By daybreak smoke was still billowing from the building.

No injuries were reported and a cause of the fire is under investigation.

It took about 90 firefighters to knock the fire out.

Neighbors said they have seen a number of homeless people gather at the warehouse. Investigators said they'll be looking into that at as well.

Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook