After a three-alarm fire in Greektown left one woman dead in late November, Baltimore firefighters spent time making sure nearly 300 homes in the neighborhood had working smoke detectors and installing new ones where needed.
The Fire Department reported Monday that firefighters conducted a “comprehensive safety sweep” on and around the 300 block of South Newkirk Street last week offering fire prevention information to a total of 299 homes, inspecting 200 smoke alarms and installing 43 smoke alarms.
Caroline Greene, who lives across the street from where the fire happened, said she found the sweep reassuring.
“Your whole life can just be gone like that. Everything in your house, your whole house, everything just turned upside down. So, having the firefighters come here, I think was extremely helpful,” Greene said, explaining that firefighters checked smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in her home.
“They [the firefighters] asked me questions about how many detectors I have. And we talked about how it’s not really helpful to have my carbon monoxide detectors on the ceiling because carbon monoxide is heavier than air. But my detectors are both,” Greene added.
Patricia Lesnick, 71, was found dead inside the home where she lived, after the large fire spread through multiple rowhomes. At least three other homes were destroyed by the fire and seven others were damaged by smoke and water, displacing several people.
John Marsh, a spokesperson for the Fire Department, said officials have not determined the cause of the fire.
Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace said the department understands the anxiety the fire may have caused in the neighborhood.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life,” Wallace said in a statement. “Our priority is not only to ensure the physical safety of our residents but also to help the community begin to heal. By performing this safety sweep, we hope to empower neighbors with the knowledge and resources they need to feel safe and supported.”
The Fire Department conducts safety sweeps at least once a month in neighborhoods where officials see higher volumes of fires, Marsh said. In addition to the monthly sweeps, it has become a standard procedure for them to happen after a fatal or catastrophic event, he said.
There have been 15 fatal fires in the city this year, including one person who died Sunday inside a vacant home in West Baltimore and two who died on Oct.15 in a five-alarm fire in Hampden.
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