CSX Tunnel Fire (Baltimore, MD - July 18, 2001)

At 3:07 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18, 2001, a CSX Transportation train derailed in the Howard Street Tunnel under the streets of Baltimore, Maryland. Complicating the scenario was the subsequent rupture in a 40-inch water main that ran directly above the tunnel. The flooding hampered extinguishing efforts, collapsed several city streets, knocked out electricity to about 1,200 Baltimore Gas and Electric customers, and flooded nearby buildings. The crash interrupted a major line associated with the Internet and an MCI WorldCom fiber optic telephone cable. » Executive Summary » Key Issues » Introduction » The Howard Street Tunnel » Incident Scenario and Location » Fireground Operations » Hazardous Conditions Restricting Firefighter Intervention » Fire Communications » Resource Response » Emergency Preparedness » Political Considerations and Involvement » Economic Impact » Transportation and Public Works Logistics » NTSB Investigation » Incident Injuries » Lessons Learned » Conclusion

Reproduced from Report 140 of the Major Fires Investigation Project conducted by Varley-Campbell and Associates, Inc./TriDataCorporation under contract EMW-97-CO-0506 to the United States Fire Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency. Investigated by John Lee Cook, Jr.

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