Buildings collapse in south Baltimore

Two vacant buildings collapsed Wednesday evening near the intersection of Light and East Ostend streets in South Baltimore, across from the Light Street branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

Preliminary reports indicate that no one was in the three-story buildings or injured by the collapse, said Chief Kevin Cartwright, a spokesman for the Baltimore City Fire Department.

"It came down in less than 15 minutes," said Jenny Stefanowitz, who lives less than a block from the scene on Ostend Street. She said she stepped out about 5:45 p.m. to go to the corner store and returned home about 6 p.m. to find that the buildings were down.

Stefanowitz, who has lived near Light and Ostend for about a decade, said that she has seen homeless people congregate in the alley behind the building but did not know whether anyone ever went inside. She also said that the building appeared to be buckling and that the earthquake and heavy rains must have finally done it in.

Roads surrounding the scene were closed Wednesday evening, and Baltimore Gas and Electric emergency crews were shutting off broken lines that made the area around the collapse smell like natural gas.

The buildings on the southwest corner of the intersection, recorded under the address 1300 Light St., are owned by Lipshree and Shreekanta Nayak of Glenn Dale, according to state tax filings.

Property records indicate that the primary structure, which has an entire side exposed to Ostend Street, was built in 1920. Records indicate the building is designated for mixed residential and retail use.

The Nayaks purchased the buildings in 1996. They also own 1306 Light St., a storage warehouse next door to the collapsed structure, that they bought in the same year and was built in 1967.

A person who identified herself over the phone as the wife of the buildings' owner said that they were not currently in use. By 9 p.m. Wednesday, she had heard from police that there had been a collapse but did not know what caused the collapse or the extent of the damage.

The fire department reported that its Special Rescue Operations Team was working to determine whether anyone was inside. Officials set a perimeter and asked for a Baltimore building inspector to examine the adjacent structure for safety.

Rose Bell, who lives near the collapsed building on Marshall Street, said the building used to be a clothing shop. The second and third floors housed apartments, she said, the building had been unused for many years.

steve.kilar@baltsun.com

twitter.com/stevekilar