Another East Baltimore Fire Claims Life
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Another person dies in a fire in East Baltimore—close to a fire that killed six people early this week. The city's fire chief is speaking out about keeping people alive.
Suzanne Collins reports from the scene of the latest fire with his message.
Chief James Clack was in the neighborhood of both fatal fires Saturday talking prevention. Smoke detectors are being given away, but another life has already been lost.
A call to 911 at sunrise Saturday sent firefighters to a green house on Homestead Street in East Baltimore, where the front room was engulfed in flames. A man was found dead inside.
"I was in a window and I saw a fireman breaking down the windows and then later on they brought a hound dog," said Destiny Williams, neighbor. "The dog was sniffing around and stuff, and then I guess the dog had felt the body."
The latest fatality is just blocks from the house where six people perished Tuesday—three generations of one family.
"So many things going on so close to this time of years," said Robert Williams, neighbor. "Just very sad, you know."
Ironically, firefighters were already scheduled to go door-to-door in the neighborhood trying to prevent any more deaths.
"We're out doing a sweep in the neighborhood where we lost six people earlier this week," said Chief James Clack, Baltimore Fire Department, "knocking on doors and trying to install free smoke alarms."
WJZ's media partner, the Baltimore Sun, is reporting the fire chief will reopen one of three firehouses closed earlier this year by budget cuts, but says closures didn't contribute to the fatal blaze.
"At this fire there was a company closed, but the first-in company was here in three minutes," Clack said, "So response time was good."
The firefighters' union put out a statement about firehouse closures playing a role in Saturday's fire and criticizing Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake for her budget cuts.
The Baltimore Sun is also reporting Clack will try to reopen all three closed firehouses in the next budget year.
