A Dozen Homes Damaged in Wind-Whipped Baltimore Fire

BALTIMORE (AP) — Fire officials said a dozen homes on several streets caught fire in Southwest Baltimore, fueled by wind-whipped flames from the burning roof of a vacant house.

One firefighter was injured during the blaze Friday and was taken to a hospital for treatment. No one else was injured.

The Baltimore Sun reports that firefighters were called to the blaze in the 300 block of S. Fulton Avenue in Carrollton Ridge around 1:55 p.m. Friday, finding two vacant buildings in flames.

Assistant Baltimore City Fire Chief Charles Svehla said the fire quickly spread to other unoccupied buildings in the 1800 block of Ramsay Street and to houses on both sides of South Fulton Avenue. He said the wind may have fanned the flames and caused the fire to spread quickly.

The fire reached the 300 block of Mount Street, where Roxana Guarvavo lives with two children, her roommate and her roommate’s son.

Guarvavo was at work when her 14-year-old son called her to tell her firefighters were ordering them to evacuate their home.

”He called me and said he was out of the house,” she said.

When she arrived, she watched smoke billow from behind her home.

Mayor Brandon Scott said during a news conference that he was “grateful civilians aren’t hurt” and that he hopes for a speedy recovery for the injured firefighter.

The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 734, which represents Baltimore firefighters, tweeted that the fire had been brought under control before 3 p.m.

The cause of the fire was not immediately determined.