Campus Connection

Media Credit: Clarence Lam

On the afternoon of October 15, an underground fire in front of the University of Maryland Medical Center forced the closure of Greene Street and snarled evening rush hour traffic. 

According to officials with the Baltimore City Fire Department, the fire started at around 2 p.m. below the intersection of Greene and Redwood Street when a contractor working on an asbestos abatement project struck an underground power line with a jackhammer.  Shortly afterwards, smoke was observed emerging from nearby manholes. 

The contractor received only minor injuries and was apparently treated at the scene.  No one else was injured by the fire.

Electrical power in the area was interrupted as a result of the fire or was turned off as a precaution by BGE officials who arrived at the accident site. 

Greene Street and Redwood Street were closed as nearly a dozen Baltimore City Fire Department and Campus Police vehicles responded to the incident.  City traffic officials were present to redirect motorists traveling southbound on Greene Street onto Fayette Street. 

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