United States (Maryland) - Baltimore City fire crews are battling a four-alarm fire that began Tuesday morning in the 500 block of South Broadway in Fells Point. The fire was reported at 4:25 a.m. in a five-story building that has had a grocery store at street level. According to Captain Roman Clark, spokesman for the Baltimore City fire department, it is the same structure that was damaged by a five-alarm fire in June.

Clark said fire fighters responding to the first alarm immediately called for assistance and the fire quickly went to four alarms. As of 6:30 a.m., he said, the building is still engulfed in fire but the fire has been contained to one building. Clark said adjacent buildings have been evacuated as a precaution.

The building dates from the 1920s and bears the words 'Hecht's Reliable Stores' on its cornice. It most recently housed a grocery store.

Clark said no injuries have been reported, but the back of the building has partially collapsed. He said fire personnel are still investigating the cause of the fire. Broadway is closed to traffic between Fleet Street and Eastern Avenue due to the fire fighting activity, he added.

Written by The Baltimore Sun

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