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Crews begin removing debris from Labyrinth Road

Posted at 7:25 PM, Aug 12, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-12 19:25:04-04

BALTIMORE — Crews began cleaning up debris from the 4200 block of Labyrinth Road Wednesday. Officials tell WMAR-2 News crews will work daily until dusk until the explosion site is clear.

"We are just working diligently," said councilman Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer. "We want to be able to clean up the site as quickly as possible so that when folks start returning to their homes they don’t have to see the last sight that they saw when they left on Monday."

All day Wednesday trucks hauling large dumpsters could be seen leaving the area around Reisterstown Road. Councilman Schleifer said there's a system to the cleanup.

"We have to pause at some points during the cleanup while BG&E is working too," he said. "They have to dig in front of the site, make sure all the lines and everything is safe so that they can get the utilities back up and running. Once they’re done with that then we’re going to resume clean up."

As crews clean up the debris a local church is preparing for a prayer and candlight vigil is planned for this weekend.

"As a church we want them to know, as much as they need us to do, in our power we will do," said Pastor GJ Barnes of The Empowerment Temple Church.

The vigil will offer spiritual guidance and resources for those impacted by Monday's tragedy.

"We just want to listen and really support them at their pace," said the pastor. "We want to let them know that locally, we are here behind them. The Empowerment Temple Church, the greater community as a whole, we are in this together."

The pastor is also working with the family of one of the victim's killed. The church said it will pay for funeral expenses for 20-year-old Joseph Graham.

"This is what Baltimore is about," said the church's First Lady, Junetta Barnes.