A city watchdog says Baltimore transportation workers have been laboring in a drafty garage with broken fire protections and wintry temperatures inside, even as the building remains under a formal fire watch.
In a synopsis released June 4, 2026, the Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General reported unsafe conditions at a Department of Transportation signs-and-markings facility, including a nonworking fire alarm and sprinkler system, insulation hanging from the ceiling, and an open bay door. Inspectors measured the interior at about 46°F while it was 37°F outside during a February site visit. According to the synopsis, one road-marking truck could not fit through the garage, so the bay door had to stay open.
The Inspector General said the building has been on a Level II fire watch since 2024 and that some of the problems trace back to inspections in 2019. A follow-up visit in early June found only limited progress, prompting DOT to outline a 120-day repair timeline.
What the inspector general found
According to a public synopsis by the Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General, investigators inspected the signs-and-markings facility on Feb. 17 and documented an out-of-service alarm panel, an expired fire extinguisher, and insulation wrapped around sprinkler piping.
The synopsis states that the Baltimore Fire Department placed the building on a Level II fire watch after an October 2024 inspection and that the sprinkler system had not been serviced since 2019. The report includes photos and an exhibit video showing the alarm sounding and insulation hanging from the ceiling.
Bay door and temperature gap
The Inspector General’s synopsis also describes a garage bay where a road-marking truck would not fit, leaving the door unsecured and creating a work area only about 10 degrees warmer than the outside temperature. The same account notes insulation draped over sprinkler lines and flammable materials such as lumber stored nearby, a combination the office said increases the facility’s fire risk.
Workers told investigators the problems had persisted for years, raising questions about how closely the building was being monitored and maintained.
DOT response and follow-up
DOT told the Inspector General on March 30 that the safety concerns were valid, that it had contracted a vendor, and that repairs were expected to begin within a week and be completed in roughly 120 days, according to the public synopsis.
During a June 2 follow-up visit, investigators confirmed a purchase order of about $166,000 and the installation of new fire extinguishers, a compressor on the sprinkler line, and an automated external defibrillator. The alarm panel, however, was still displaying a “trouble” message and audibly beeping.
The synopsis recommends that DOT coordinate with the Baltimore Fire Department and the Department of General Services to finish repairs and reduce the hazards inside the building.
Legal and safety implications
The Inspector General noted that the lack of a working sprinkler system could amount to a potential Occupational Safety and Health Administration violation, which would move the issue beyond routine city oversight. Federal rules require employers to design, maintain and test automatic sprinkler systems where they are needed for employee protection; see OSHA for details.
If fire-watch procedures or repairs fall short, state or federal safety officials could pursue enforcement or citations.
What workers and city officials say
DOT supplied sample walk-through logs and photos as part of its March response and told investigators it was addressing the problems, according to coverage by WBAL NewsRadio. Even so, the Inspector General’s office reported that witnesses described minimal change between the February inspection and the June follow-up, meaning employees continued to work in a facility with compromised life-safety systems.
DOT’s purchase order and the Inspector General’s 120-day repair estimate indicate the building will likely remain on fire watch while the work is underway.
The Inspector General copied the mayor and city council leadership on the synopsis and urged quick coordination with fire and facilities officials to complete repairs and remove the hazard. The public synopsis remains the official record of the investigation, and city leaders now have a relatively narrow window to get the building back into safe working condition.
