Fire breaks out at hardware store in Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood
A fire broke out Monday morning at a historic hardware store in Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood, prompting an emergency response amid freezing temperatures.
Firefighters responded to Falkenhan's Hardware in the 700 block of W 34th Street around 7 a.m., where they worked quickly to extinguish the flames.
Falkenhan's has been in the city since the 1800s.
By 7:40 a.m., the fire was under control, officials said. No injuries were reported.
According to fire officials, the snow and freezing temperatures on Monday morning posed a challenge for crews. Temperatures were around 20 degrees in Baltimore.
Previous Hampden fires
This is not the first time that a fire damaged a historic building in the Hampden neighborhood.
In early November, a fire broke out in the historic Castle at Keswick, a building built in 1899 that used to house the Northern Police District station. Gusty winds made firefighting conditions difficult.
At the time of the fire, the building was home to several small businesses, including the Community Law Center and a bridal boutique.
"My staff has a lot of emotional processing to do. They were - we were here, and they all watched the building burn," said Community Law Center Executive Director Amy Petkovsek. "It's a tough year as it is, and so we are absolutely going to be determined to rebuild."
In the past year, there have been several other fires reported in the Hampden community. In May, three rowhomes were damaged in a fire and in December 2024, six vacant homes were damaged.
