The collapse occurred shortly before 10 a.m. on the ground and second floors of the parking garage at One East Pratt Street, according to the Baltimore Fire Department. The fire department’s special operations unit found no signs of entrapment or injury during an initial sweep and search of the garage floor, Assistant Chief Dante Stewart said. Firefighters found no signs of entrapment or injuries during multiple searches of the garage Friday morning. Photo: Courtesy of WUSA-9 Chief Stewart acknowledged there was a driver heading into the garage at the time, but said that person escaped injury. The chief said building engineers will inspect the parking garage to determine its structural integrity. Standing next to the chief at a news conference Friday morning, Mayor Brandon Scott expressed relief that everyone is OK, saying it could have been a lot worse. “We are thankful that no one was injured in this incident,” Scott said. “This could have been a serious tragedy. We are grateful to the men and women of the fire department who responded.” The incident shut down Pratt Street between Charles and Conway, a stretch of the road that will remain closed until further notice, city transportation staff said. None of the estimated 50 vehicles parked inside the garage were damaged, Stewart said. Baltimore City Councilman Eric Costello asked residents, including those whose cars were parked in the garage, to avoid the area while efforts by first responders continue on the scene. “If your vehicle is inside this garage at One East Pratt Street, please contact SPPlus to get more information about when it is safe to retrieve your vehicle,” said Councilman Costello. The fire department said garage owners and management are responsible for conducting annual inspections of the facility. The garage was last inspected in 2017, according to the fire department. WJZ reached out to the company about Friday’s incident, but did not immediately hear back. With this section of Charles Street closed indefinitely, detours are in place. Drivers trying to get to hotels in the area can enter the Hyatt roundabout near Charles Street and exit the median back onto Conway Street. This is a developing story that will be updated as additional details emerge. We are reporting no injuries at the Pratt St. garage. Nearly 50 cars remain inside until Bldg inspectors help drivers retrieve their vehicles. At this time, the cause remains under investigation and will be handled by S&P Plus building management. pic.twitter.com/lzd1Nnv0nH — Baltimore Fire (@BaltimoreFire) July 15, 2022 Ava-joye Burnett Ava-joye Burnett is an award-winning journalist who joined the WJZ news team in January 2016. She is a general assignment reporter.
