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Baltimore fire: 2 dead after several homes burn down in North Baltimore


Baltimore fire: 2 dead after several homes burn down in North Baltimore

A five-alarm fire in north Baltimore killed two people early Tuesday, affecting at least eight rowhouses and prompting a major response from the Baltimore City Fire Department.

Fire department spokesman John Marsh said the two people were found after a “methodical search” at the scene in the 3400 block of Keswick Road.

The identities of the two people were not immediately released Tuesday afternoon. The fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. and engulfed several residential buildings. No firefighters were injured, Marsh said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. It appears it originated in the middle of the block before quickly spreading to other homes, causing at least one to collapse, Marsh said.

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Residents displaced by fire They sat huddled under blankets behind yellow police tape and watched firefighters work on the smoldering buildings. Neighbors opened their houses for some of them and offered sofas to sleep on.

“So many neighbors are already helpful,” said Baltimore City Councilwoman Odette Ramos. “This is a close-knit community.”

Residents watch as firefighters work after the early morning fire. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Banner)

Ramos described the fire as “massive” and said people could smell the smoke in Charles Village and Waverly.

At around 7:45 a.m., Baltimore Fire said in a social media post that the fire had been extinguished.

The fire came more than a year after another major blaze damaged 10 two-story rowhouses in Hampden and displaced 22 people from the 800 block of Union Avenue.

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The Hampden Community Council is organizing some relief efforts for victims of this week's fire, Ramos said. The Red Cross was also on site on Tuesday morning.

Firefighters said the fire started in the middle of the block and quickly spread to other homes. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Banner)

This is a developing story.

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