A five-alarm fire that broke out late last night destroyed a mattress refurbishing company in the 1800 block of S. Caton Ave. in Southwest Baltimore and severely damaged an adjacent trucking company, a Fire Department spokesman said.
Smoke from the fire, which also threatened a pallet-making firm, covered nearby Interstate 95 at Caton Avenue a half-mile from the scene and drifted into East Baltimore.
No damage estimate was available. One city firefighter received minor injuries and was treated at St. Agnes Hospital.
Battalion Chief Hector Torres, the Fire Department spokesman, said the blaze reportedly began in the mattress firm about 11: 40 p.m. and quickly spread through the two-story building at Caton Avenue near James Street.
Within minutes, Torres said, the fire raged out of control and consumed a large portion of the nearby Harlan Express trucking company, which moved to the site six weeks ago.
The fire also damaged the Pallet Corp., on the far side of the two burning buildings.
By 12: 22 a.m. today, the fire went to five alarms, bringing more than 120 firefighters and at least 30 pieces of apparatus from the city and nearby Baltimore County.
"This fire is far from being under control," Torres said at the scene shortly before 1 a.m.
Fred Woodland, a foreman at the Pallet Corp. said he walked through the building about midnight and saw no problems.
"I hope to be back to work today," he said, "but there may be problems with our water and the electrical system."
Torres said firefighters were having difficulty at the mattress firm because of trailers parked at a rear loading dock. Efforts were made to move them.
At least five aerial-tower fire trucks poured water on the fire while other units attempted to surround the burning buildings and keep the flames from spreading to other structures.
Thirty-foot flames lighted the night sky above the 5-acre site.
Torres said a series of explosions may have been caused by natural gas lines that fed the fire before they were turned off by Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. crews.
Firefighters remained at the scene overnight guarding against flare-ups.
Pub Date: 7/15/97
