BALTIMORE — Friday afternoon a large warehouse fire in Remington sent flames and smoke billowing high in the sky.
Alexander Harrington told WMAR-2 News that he first noticed black smoke when he got off of work and immediately jumped into action.
"I drove over and saw wood stacked up in the back of the building in flames. Smoke going all over the place so I parked back at the office, ran over, called 911," Harrington said.
Four-alarm fire in North Baltimore leaves 23 people displaced
Baltimore Fire says the call came in at 1:18 p.m on the 400 block of W 23rd Street.
"As I'm on the phone with 911, I see a gentleman run at the building with a fire extinguisher trying to put it out and I told him it's too late for that you've gotta get out of here."
He attributed his quick thinking to his former military training.
"Training kind of translates not to freak out with stuff that doesn't necessarily affect you in the moment but definitely spending more time trying to get help vs trying to take videos and look at everything."
Neighbor, Collin Schnitker said at first he thought the fire crews arriving sirens was a train.
"I have asthma so I was kind of coughing and then I open up my windows and just like a Plymouth of smoke coming over this building," Schnitker said.
Chief James Wallace told us they believe the fire started on the outside of the building and was then driven inside by wind.
It quickly grew to a four alarm blaze.
Twenty-three neighbors in the area had to be evacuated to a nearby church but thankfully no one was hurt.
Chief Wallace said this wasn't an easy fight for his crews.
"The firefighters from BCFD 100% saved the houses back here on 23rd st, 100% put themselves between this warehouse and these resident's homes. These men and women absolutely risked their lives," he said, "They are inside of the homes with handlines, they're on the roofs of homes with handlines, and they're in the air above the homes with handlines."
The fire was contained around 5:30 p.m. but not technically under control as crews still had to fight hot spots.
Officials say are two businesses in the warehouse, a woodworking one and a kind of toy distributor.
There's no word on when the residents who were evacuated will be able to return to their homes but fire officials told us BGE did cut the power in the area.
MTA has issued southbound temporary detour for the LocalLink 94- Fort McHenry until 5 p.m., due to the fire.
This story will continue to be updated when more information is available.
