By Adam Thompson
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Maryland (WJZ) — A Maryland woman, whose family was displaced after a massive fire damaged more than a dozen homes last week, told WJZ they had only been in their home a month before it went up in flames.
Monique Awkwaid said her family of five lost everything when the four-alarm rowhome fire consumed 15 homes and displaced at least seven residents on North Fulton Avenue in West Baltimore on Friday, March 7.
“It’s a total loss. We lost everything,” Awkwaid said. “It’s devastation, complete devastation.”
Awkwaid, her husband, and their three children managed to escape the flames, but they say the fire was preventable.
“We have a problem with addicts coming into these properties, calling themselves trying to keep warm, but endangering others and families,” she said. “Somebody needs to be held responsible for this because me and my family lost everything… everything.”
While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, early indications suggest possible illegal occupant activity in the building where the fire originated, according to investigators.
Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said the flames started in a corner dwelling before strong morning winds spread them down the block, engulfing row homes—some occupied by businesses, others vacant, and some housing families like Awkwaid’s.
For now, Awkwaid’s family has temporary shelter.
“They have us staying at a hotel right now, and we don’t know what our next move is going to be,” she said. “We have seven days there, so after that—I don’t know.”
Days later, the charred remains of the homes are a stark reminder of what families like Awkwaid’s barely escaped.
“I’m trying to be tough because I have kids,” she said. “I’m trying to be strong.”
Her family is now focused on basic survival—finding food, clothing, and a place to live. Her 11-year-old son had to miss school Monday because he no longer has a backpack or school supplies.
“It’s going to be OK,” Awkwaid said. “Things happen for a reason, and we’re going to be OK. We still have our lives.”
The family is grateful to be alive but in need of support. They have created a fundraiser page online.
There is some good news. Awkwaid said their landlord was able to return their security deposit, and the Red Cross has assigned a caseworker to help them get back on their feet.
Destructive fire
Baltimore City firefighters responded shortly before 4:30 a.m. to the fire that demolished a block of buildings used for a mixed occupancy of homes, businesses and apartments above. Some of the homes were vacant, officials said.
The blaze affected a few businesses as well as the Good Samaritan Church, in the 2200 block of North Fulton Avenue. The fire left some buildings beyond repair, causing crews to demolish them, leaving a pile of rubble.
Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said the buildings were marked with Code X, which means they have severe structural or interior hazards and high risks of collapse.
“They’re no-go buildings. We do not do interior firefighting in Code X buildings,” Wallace said.
The fire, which officials say was spread by the wind, was ultimately controlled around 7:16 a.m., roughly three hours after the fire started.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Battling wind-fueled fires
Windy and dry conditions in the area have created a risk for fires in the Baltimore area.
On March 1, a brush fire broke out at Sheppard Pratt’s Towson campus, according to Baltimore County Fire officials.
The fire, which started around 7 p.m., engulfed about 1.5 acres of land.
On the day of the fire, parts of the Baltimore region were under a Fire Weather Watch due to low humidity and strong winds. 58% of Baltimore County faced a moderate drought last week, while 41% of the county faced a severe drought, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDS).
In January, a large fire at a Baltimore County recycling plant led to a partial building collapse.
The fire at Owl Metals on Rettman Lane in Dundalk smoldered for days, caused residents in the community to complain about the air quality.
“You can just taste it. It gets stuck in your mouth,” neighbor Kelsey Evans said. “Just like breathing it in burns your nose, burns your throat, makes your eyes water.”
In December 2024, Camp Small, a Baltimore wood recycling plant, was on fire for more than 24 hours and smoldered for several days. The wind-fueled fire spread and temporarily shut down roadways, schools, and businesses.
Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said the wind posed some problems as crews worked to control the fire.
“The challenges are that it’s a wind-driven fire, it’s a very deep-seated fire and we are very limited in access, so our tactics have to somewhat change,” Wallace said.
Rowhome fire tragedies
Overall, rowhome fires have also been an ongoing challenge for Baltimore City.
In November 2024, a fire in the city’s Greektown neighborhood left a woman dead and several people displaced. That fire, which happened in the 300 block of South Newkirk Street, displaced residents from eight to 10 homes. Over 100 firefighters responded to the blaze.
In October 2023, two Baltimore City firefighters died after battling a two-alarm rowhome fire on Linden Heights Avenue in Northwest Baltimore.
The firefighters who died in the fire were identified as 31-year-old Rodney Pitts, III, of Engine Company #29, and Dillon Rinaldo, of Engine Company #46, according to the department.
In January 2022, three firefighters were killed in a vacant rowhome fire on Stricker Street.
The cause of the fire was determined to be criminal activity, according to an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Lt. Paul Butrim, firefighter/paramedic Kelsey Sadler, and EMT/firefighter Kenny Lacayo were killed when they became trapped in the vacant rowhome.
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