Underground Charles Street Fire Raises Concerns, Snarls Traffic
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A fire burned in an underground city owned conduit in between two vaults Thursday morning.
The Baltimore City Fire Department says that some BGE cables were on fire.
They tried to shut down the electricity to the impacted areas. Other buildings in the area lost power as well.
As a result of the fire, carbon monoxide was being detected in the area as well. When they checked in the basement of the buildings it was at 400 parts per million, the safe level is 9.
They opened up a few manhole covers, and started venting the area. The carbon monoxide level is down to 35 parts per million.
Officials are keeping everyone back about 2 blocks while they continue with the operations. BGE is on the scene as well as other underground utility contractors. They are down in the holes trying to figure out what is happening. The fire is out.
The highest levels were in the basement of the Delta Hotel at Redwood and Light. Officials say none of the occupied areas of the hotel were effected and did not need to be evacuated.
The traffic was blocked on Charles Street but has since reopened.
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