Explosion reported in South Baltimore after church laundry room fire

BALTIMORE — An explosion was reported in the basement of a building and in area manholes after a fire at a laundry room in South Baltimore, the Baltimore Fire Department said Friday.

Residents of surrounding buildings sheltered in place to ensure their safety, the department said.

Units responded around 4 a.m. to the scene in the 700 block of S. Charles Street, where officials said firefighters “identified a fire in the laundry room.”

The building was the Christ Church Lutheran Center. Authorities said the church was evacuated and no injuries were reported.

It’s unclear what caused the explosion, but the department released an image of a fire coming from a manhole. The investigation is looking into the causes of the fire