A portion of N Charles Street in Baltimore will remain shut down through December as crews rebuild a manhole in the area, according to the city Department of Transportation (DOT).
The repairs come nearly a year after an underground fire was reported in the area. Two similar fires were reported on N Charles Street in January 2024 and June 2024.
N Charles Street shut down
According to the DOT, the right lane of N Charles Street, between Saratoga and Pleasant Streets, closed on Sept. 11. Parking restrictions are also in effect.
Right turns from N Charles Street onto Pleasant Street will be prohibited during the closure. Drivers will instead need to access Pleasant Street from St. Paul Place, DOT officials said.
The closure is expected to remain in place through December.
According to the DOT, crews will rebuild a manhole at the intersection of N Charles Street and E Pleasant Street during the closure.
The mayor’s office said engineers will determine a designated loading zone for businesses along the street.
According to the mayor’s office, the construction project is necessary to prevent future underground fires in the area.
Drivers are urged to use alternate routes.
Previous underground fires
The city has seen at least three underground fires in the past year, including two that occurred along N Charles Street, damaging some businesses.
In September 2024, one firefighter was injured while responding to an underground fire on N Charles Street.
The fire was reportedly coming from multiple manhole covers. The incident prompted Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) to shut down power in the area. Nearly 2,100 customers were impacted.
The fire damaged Viva Books, shut down courthouses downtown and impacted the Enoch Pratt Central Library’s internet service.
A similar underground fire in June on East Baltimore Street prompted concerns about the city’s infrastructure.