Power restored to Baltimore apartment building after fire, carbon monoxide prompt evacuation

An East Baltimore apartment building had to be evacuated Friday morning due to an underground fire and elevated levels of carbon monoxide. 

Firefighters arrived at the Johnston Square Apartments on Greenmount Ave. shortly after 7:15 a.m. and found an active fire in an outdoor flowerbed. 

First responders suspected gas or electricity may be involved, and a hazmat team was called in, along with Baltimore Gas and Electric.

BGE crews appeared to focus on the flowerbed area, where they believe a transformer or something in an electrical panel may have caught fire underground or in the basement. 

Crews also found high levels of carbon monoxide on the ground floor and in the basement, as well as lower levels on the upper floors. According to the dispatch call, carbon monoxide levels in the basement were as high as 1,100 parts per million.

The first and second floors were fully evacuated, while the third and fourth were partially evacuated. More vulnerable residents on the upper floors were also removed from the building, fire officials said. 

A neighbor told WJZ the building houses seniors and people with disabilities. 

Later in the morning, officials reported the carbon monoxide levels were subsiding as the building was being ventilated. Officials said they would bring the levels back down to zero before everyone was allowed back inside. 

"Now, we're moving into the next phase, addressing the needs of residents here. We have a lot of support agencies to help with that," Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace said on the scene. 

Three people were evaluated on the scene, but did not require hospitalization. 

An MTA bus was brought in to help shelter the displaced residents, and the Red Cross was also on the scene to assist. 

"Right now, we're going to try to maintain those buses until we can determine if this building needs to be completely evacuated or if BGE will be able to reenergize this building today," said Joey Henderson, director of the Office of Emergency Management.

BGE told WJZ it planned to restore power in two stages. The building had partial service back shortly after 5 p.m., while the rest will, hopefully, be restored later Friday evening.

WJZ reached out to the city's Department of Housing and Community Development, as well as the management company for the building, for a comment and has not heard back.

Neighbors who live in the building said it was a hectic scene early in the morning.

"It's a scary situation, you know, when you don't know what's going on," Roszetta Timmons said. "I don't want to die in there."

Since BGE cut off power to the building, the elevator was not working. This made it difficult for some neighbors to get out.

"Everyone in here has an issue -- physical issue, or the elder. Everybody. So it has to be some type of backup plan somehow," said Chevon Perry.

Neighbors say maintenance is an ongoing problem in the building and they want more done to stay safe.

"The building is OK itself. It's just the maintenance and the upkeep. You know, it's just always a problem," Perry said.

Greenmount Ave. was temporarily closed between Preston and Biddle streets earlier in the morning but has since reopened.