(CNN) — Several train lines in and out of Baltimore have been disrupted after a fire broke out at a vacant mattress warehouse Monday evening, authorities said.
The burning warehouse is near the West Baltimore commuter rail station, Baltimore City Fire spokesperson John Marsh told CNN.
Amtrak said late Monday all of its trains from Baltimore to Washington, DC, and Wilmington, Delaware, were stopped because of local officials “placing a hold on all tracks” in the western part of the city. The stoppage included trains going to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
Early Tuesday morning Amtrak announced cancellations of multiple trains, including several between Washington, DC, and New York.
Fire crews were dispatched to the West Baltimore fire shortly before 7:00 p.m., Marsh said, adding that no injuries have been reported.
Thirty residents have been temporarily evacuated from their homes as crews work to control the flames, the fire department said.
The blaze has also disrupted MARC commuter rail services. Service on the MARC Penn Line remained suspended Tuesday morning, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation.
“Due to last night’s fire near West Baltimore, and concerns that the structure may collapse onto the tracks, morning service on the Penn Line is canceled,” MDOT said in an update, adding that a decision regarding afternoon service will be made later Tuesday.
Passengers are encouraged to use the Camden Line, which connects Baltimore’s Camden Station to Union Station in Washington, DC.
CNN reached out to the Baltimore City Fire Department for comment on the status of the fire and the warehouse’s stability.
The warehouse’s proximity to train tracks complicated firefighting efforts, Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace said. Crews were working with Amtrak to shut down the power lines tied to those tracks before attacking the fire from that side, Wallace said.
The fire chief described the warehouse as “at least a four-story building” with multiple storage areas. One section contains “a large amount of mattresses,” but it’s unclear what else may be stored inside, he said.
The massive fire is giving off a “tremendous amount of smoke,” making it hard to see into the warehouse, and it’s burning in a residential area, which means water mains there have a limited capacity, the chief said.
“Our fire flows have exceeded a lot of what the water grid has,” Wallace said, noting crews are having to bring in additional water apparatus.
Mayor Brandon Scott’s office is monitoring the fire and is prepared to provide additional support, spokesperson Kamau Marshall said in a statement to CNN.
“The Baltimore City Fire Department is working tirelessly to bring the situation under control and safeguard the lives of those in and around the affected area,” Marshall said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
