A huge warehouse fire in Baltimore burned through the night and into the morning from May 10 to 11 injuring one emergency responder. The fire erupted at approximately 11:00 p.m. on May 10 at a warehouse storing heavy machinery and welding equipment, ABC affiliate in Baltimore WMAR reported.
Roman Clark, a spokesperson for the Baltimore City Fire Department, said that, while attempting to suppress the flames, firefighters had trouble with water pressure, which made the process tiring and difficult. The firefighter who was hurt sustained minor injuries, was sent to a local hospital and released shortly after.
There is no word yet on what caused the fire.
Another fire occurred in Baltimore the week before in a nearby area, also injuring one firefighter. The building, on the 2700-block of Sisson Street, housed four different businesses: Clearview Auto Glass Repair, Sisson Street Automotive, Premier Refinish Supply and Baltimore Body Shop. It took fire crews approximately five hours to control the fire, which caused the back of the warehouse to collapse.
Hazmat workers were brought to the scene to deal with the possibility of risk due to the presence of certain materials inside the warehouse. Authorities are continuing to investigate the fire to determine its cause.
Fire safety for industrial sites
Preventing fires at industrial sites is paramount to keeping workers safe. All work sites are required to have industrial fire alarms on the premises, as well as a well-marked evacuation plan in case of emergency. Depending on the presence of explosive materials in warehouses or plants, combustible gas leak detectors should be put in place to keep people in the surrounding area alert and ready to swiftly exit the building if an alarm were to sound. Flammable gases and other materials pose a threat to workers and all those in the surrounding areas, which is why it is vitally important to have these precautions put in place.
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