1 Dead In 3-Alarm Fire At Baltimore Fuel Facility, Authorities Say
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- One person died Monday morning in a three-alarm fire that broke out at a Baltimore fuel facility, authorities said.
Four employees were working at the facility, located in the 5200 block of Curtis Avenue in Curtis Bay, about 7 a.m. when the fire started, officials said.
Officials said one worker died in the fire. No other injuries were immediately reported.
A building at the facility went up in flames about 7 a.m., the city firefighters' union tweeted. By 8 a.m., firefighters had gotten most of the flames under control.
A Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson said four employees were working at the time, two on each side of the facility, when the fire broke out.
"Unfortunately one of the employees was completely engulfed in flames . . . His co-workers tried to assist him and help get the fire out or get it off of him, but they were unsuccessful," the fire department spokesperson said.
To help combat the fire, additional units were called in from BWI, Anne Arundel County and Baltimore County.
Officials have confirmed that there is no fuel in nearby storm drains and no ongoing threat to the surrounding community.
????3RD ALARM FIRE????
— Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734 (@BCFDL734) March 7, 2022
5200 Curtis Av 21226#CurtisBay@PhyliciaPorter_#BMORESBravest battling a fire that involves a fuel facility. Fuel has been reported in the storm drains. #BCFDHazmat is also on scene. A 3rd alarm has been called. @BWIFire @Local1563 @iafflocal1311 assisting. pic.twitter.com/OQceQuQzVB
WJZ has learned that an application for the company's oil operations permit is currently being reviewed by the state.
WJZ obtained documents that say the company's permit has expired. But a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of the Environment says the previous permit remains in effect while their application is being reviewed.
Hours after the fire was extinguished, the smell of chemicals lingered in the air.
A worker took air samples to measure the safety for the community and other men put out boons to soak up a thick black substance.
As the cleanup and the investigation continues, so does the mourning for the worker who died.
"It's scary to know that, you know, your family member went to work and not even a couple of hours later passed away," Baltimore resident Megan Goetz said. "It's sad. I mean, my condolences really go out to them because it's sad."