Business Owners, Community Concerned After Another Fire Damages Edmondson Village Shopping Center
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- One day after a large fire broke out at the Edmondson Village Shopping Center, WJZ is now getting a closer look at the damage to the building.
This is not the first fire the complex has had to endure.
Several businesses are boarded up and there is a fence in place to prevent people from getting too close to the building. The same shopping center sustained a fire in 2019 and now many businesses are reliving that experience over again.
Just after 10 p.m. Saturday night, fire crews worked tirelessly to contain flames that erupted inside Edmondson Village Shopping Center in west Baltimore- an effort that lasted into the early hours of Sunday morning.
Ultimately, it destroyed at least five units.
"It's a childhood memory for me to keep coming here," said Jade Margerum.
Jade Margerum grew up down the street from these popular shops and restaurants. And like many people, she remembers the hardship they've endured.
"It is another fire, it's not the first one," Margerum said.
In November 2019, the same complex sustained what was determined to be a gas-fueled fire.
"You go up and look at this corner, you wont see buildings because the buildings are gone because they never rebuilt them," said Melvin Hussey, Edmondson Village Shopping Center.
No one knows what caused the most recent one. City Councilman Kristerfer Burnett wants to reassure people though, that if there are any underlying issues, they'll be addressed.
"We will be in contact with the owner of the facility to make sure there are no more fires here, addressing any structural issues that may be leading to this, but obviously we don't have all the facts at this time, but we're on top of it," Burnett said.
The scene that played out this weekend is a painful reminder for business owners like Michael. He owns Fashion Town, which he says has some smoke and water damage.
"I just couldn't see how lightning could strike twice at the shopping mall," he said.
He had to close for a month and a half after the 2019 fire and again this year because of COVID-19. He said the future of his clothing store is uncertain now.
"I just got to sit by and see what happens...day by day, day by day," Michael said.
Thankfully, no one was injured. The shopping center was closed when the fire started. Firefighters said they did run into some challenges Saturday night including low water pressure and also freezing cold temperatures.
