Assessing the damage from fire in Downtown Baltimore

The intensity of the fire and its location central to other Baltimore landmarks prompted the fire department to call out five alarms within an hours time. Thats still under investigation what could have caused it, Baltimore City Fire Communications Director John Marsh told us on Sunday, We do know that it was five businesses and one residential unit.

Reviewing the damage from on top of the buildings, the roof above the Jano Ethiopian Restaurant and the Thai Elephant Wok have been destroyed, but George Kritikos says his business, The Goddess Gentlemens Club, came through the fire relatively unscathed, sparing a piece of the citys history. It was owned by Babe Ruth a hundred years ago, said Kritikos, He actually lived upstairs, off season, and his father died right here apparently bar fight or something.

As heavy-duty fans work to clear the smoke, you can see images of the Babe adorning the walls inside the business including one of him with his father tending bar at the same location more than a century ago. Apparently, thats the only picture of him and his father that exists, noted Kritikos.

The owner of The Goddess says he has 30 employees that have all been knocked out of work for now, but hes hoping to reopen within the next few weeks. Kritikos is one of the lucky ones while others have received condemnation notices making their futures far less certain. Other that busting out all of our windows, not so bad, Kritikos told us, They did a good job protecting this building.