10 Injured In Baltimore Apartment Fire: Report

BALTIMORE, MD — Seven firefighters were hospitalized Wednesday after an explosion and partial building collapse occurred while they were battling an apartment fire in the northeastern part of the city, according to the Baltimore Fire Department. Three residents of the complex were also reportedly injured.

Firefighters remained in the 4400 block of Bowleys Lane into the night, as the flames continued burning. Crews used large quantities of water to contain the blaze and declared the fire under control at 1 a.m. on Thursday, fire officials reported.

Authorities reported nine people were hospitalized — seven firefighters and two non-firefighters.

As of Thursday morning, six remained in area hospitals — five firefighters and one resident.

The fire broke out around 3 p.m. at the Mannasota Manor apartment complex and was fed by a gas line, Fox 45 reported. Fire officials said BGE was unable to shut off the gas at the complex until Wednesday evening.

Amid a building collapse, officials said two firefighters fell through to the basement and injured five more firefighters.

Two of the tenants at the complex were hospitalized with minor injuries, according to WBAL, which reported another tenant later reported minor injuries as well.

Six firefighters were taken to the burn unit at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, and one was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. By Thursday morning, two firefighters at Bayview had been released, officials said.

In addition, fire officials reported Thursday that one non-firefighter remained in critical condition. According to Fox 45, that person had to jump out of a window to escape the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but a gas explosion was suspected, according to WJZ.

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Photo courtesy of the Baltimore Fire Department.

.@BaltimoreFire on scene in Northeast Baltimore. Residents tell me it was a natural gas explosion. pic.twitter.com/BxaTqePq76
— Christina Tkacik (@xtinatkacik) October 17, 2018