A three-alarm fire ripped through a four-story building at 1226 St. Paul Street in Mount Vernon yesterday afternoon, sending thick smoke across the neighborhood and drawing a massive response from the Baltimore City Fire Department. Fire crews mounted an aggressive interior attack as nearby streets were shut down and onlookers gathered across the block. The blaze was brought under control within hours, and by evening firefighters were moving floor to floor checking for lingering hot spots.
Firefighters were dispatched around 4:21 p.m. after reports of a building fire and arrived to find heavy smoke pouring from the structure. The incident was quickly upgraded to a three-alarm response to bring in additional crews and equipment. The fire was contained, and officials reported no injuries or displacement and said one cat was rescued, according to FOX Baltimore.
Neighbors posted photos and play-by-play accounts online as the smoke billowed over Mount Vernon, with commenters on r/Baltimore saying they could see the plume stretching up the block. Some residents speculated that roofing work involving a blowtorch might have sparked the blaze, though authorities have not confirmed that detail; those firsthand accounts appear on Reddit.
Investigation Underway
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and officials said they plan to release more information as it becomes available, according to FOX Baltimore. Authorities also reiterated that there were no injuries and that no residents had been displaced as of the initial report.
