The Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) is investigating a deadly blaze that swept through Baltimore's Waverly neighborhood in late December. On December 27, firefighters were summoned to a two-story rowhome at 500 block of East 38th Street. As CBS News Baltimore reported, the fire required a three-alarm response and extended into adjacent structures, ultimately impacting six buildings.
The catastrophic incident claimed the life of a 63-year-old woman. However, there were no reports of other injuries, as the BCFD managed to contain the fire around 5 a.m., though several residents now face the plight of displacement due to the significant damage incurred, with the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and American Red Cross stepping in to offer needed assistance to those afflicted by the fire. Despite an extensive sweep by firefighters nearly a day later to check on neighboring residents and their smoke alarms, as FOX Baltimore pointed out, the fire's preliminary cause remains undetermined, and the BCFD's K9 Sowell found no indication of ignitable liquids present, further noting that the initial findings suggest no immediate signs of foul play.
An arson investigation is underway as BCFD officials work to determine the cause of a deadly fire. The Fire Investigation Bureau is focused on identifying where the fire started, but structural damage has prevented a full inspection of the building's safety. Additionally, fire fatalities in Baltimore slightly decreased from 19 in 2023 to 16 in 2024, highlighting ongoing fire risks in the city.
