Mayor Brandon M. Scott Announces Underground Fire Investigation Results

BALTIMORE, MD (Tuesday, December 30, 2025) - Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced that RTI Group LLC, the forensic consultant engaged to investigate the cause of recent fires in the City's underground conduit system, has completed its review and released its conclusions and recommendations. The report provides a comprehensive chronology of the September 29, 2024 fire in the underground conduit at the intersection of Charles and Pleasant Streets, identifying a number of risk factors and providing several recommendations for the City to prevent the occurrence of future fires.

The Charles Street fire was caused by a combination of combustible gases that had been generating in manhole and connecting duct work for some time prior to their detonation. The resulting fire spread through the conduit system to the neighboring businesses, causing damage and requiring a power outage in much of the downtown area in the ensuing hours.

RTI conducted extensive research of the manhole itself, the surrounding conduit, physical evidence removed after the fire, and numerous interviews with individuals from DOT, the Fire Department, and BGE. Combining the materials reviewed and its experience in managing and preventing fires, RTI developed a series of recommendations that will now form the basis of an implementation plan led by DOT, who has already installed a pilot monitoring system for detecting gases and high temperatures in the manhole at the center of the 2024 Charles Street fire. The Department plans to review bids for a comprehensive monitoring system as part of a larger implementation plan that DOT will lead with the City's underground utility partners.

"My number one focus is always the safety and protection of our residents," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "This issue has existed for years, but this is the first time the City has hired a professional engineering firm to actually develop a comprehensive set of recommendations for preventing these fires in the future. I'm grateful to all of the folks who helped put this report together, and especially to all those who are working to put these recommendations into action."

"DOT's underground conduit division does an amazing job managing this vital asset for the City," said Director Veronica McBeth, Department of Transportation. "While we all know the many risks associated with our City's aging infrastructure, we will be working with our utility partners to develop a plan to mitigate the threat that these manhole explosions and underground fires pose to our residents."

RTI's review of the Charles Street fire is now complete. The City and RTI would like to thank their underground utility partners BGE and Vicinity for their cooperation in this matter.

The full report can be found here:

Survey of Baltimore City Manhole Explosions and Fires North Charles and Pleasant Streets, September 29, 2024

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