The 5-alarm fire that ravaged Baltimore's red light district on Dec.6 was intentionally set, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has scheduled a news conference for later today with more details on the tip, which came from The Sun's City Hall reporter Julie Scharper. A spokesperson for that agency declined to confirm the reports and other officials would not comment.
The evening fire all but destroyed at least two buildings in the 400 block of East Baltimore St., including the Gayety World adult book store and a vacant corner building. Two strip clubs, Blue Mirrors and Club Lust, also were damaged.
Federal authorities have been working for days at the fire scene and East Baltimore Street has been shut down to traffic since the fire. The clubs were allowed to reopen on Friday.
At left, in a photo provided by the Baltimore's ATF office, investigators survey the inside of one of the burned buildings.