FIRES ON JANUARY 7.
A TARP COVERS THE DAMAGE
FIREFIGHTERS ESTIMATED WOULD
CAUSE $35,000 TO MAKE APPEARS TO
THIS EDGEWOOD TOWNHOUSE.
A DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL SAID
EFFORTS TO THAW A FROZEN WATER
PIPE SPARKED SMOKE AND FLAMES.
>> THE MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN
WAS UTILIZINGA HEAT GUN.
IT WAS WELL-INTENTIONED AND HE
STARTED IGNITING THE WOOD.
WAS HE EXTINGUISHED IT HE WENT
INSIDE AND OPENED UP A SECTION
OF THE WALL AND STARTED USING A
BLOW DRYER.
THAT CREATED THE EMBERS TO SPARK
OVER AGAIN AND THE FIRE QUICKLY
GOT OUT OF HIS CONTROL.
BARRY: IT IS A SITUATION THAT
HAPPENS ANNUALLY BUT THE FIRE
MARSHAL'S OFFICE BELIEVES IT HAS
GOTTEN WORSE AND BLAMES THE
EXTREME COLD WEATHER FOR CAUSING
A DANGEROUS INCREASE.
>> WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK OF
PEOPLE USING KEROSENE HEATERS,
BLOW TORCHES THAW OUT PIPES.
BARRY: MENTIONING THOSE DEVICES
ALONG WITH CHARCOAL STOVES.
PEOPLE TRIED UNSAFE METHODS TO
THAW PIPES HAVE DAMAGED NASH --
NATURAL GAS LEAK
PIPES.
THE DAMAGE TO A TINY TOWN HOME
IS $250,000.
THE FIRE HERE ALSO CAUSED BY
WORK TO THAW FROZEN WATER PIPE.
>> THEY WERE USING A SALAMANDER
TYPE STYLE HEATER IN THAT
IGNITED THE, -- COMBUSTIBLES IN
AND AROUND THE WOOD OF THE
HOUSE.
WE HAD REPORTS THAT WERE USING
SOME KIND OF CARDBOARD BOX TO
DIRECT THE HEAT TOWARD THE
HOUSE.
BARRY: FIREFIGHTERS FOUGHT THAT
IN THE SECONDARY FIRE.
THE COMPANY IS LOCATED 100 FEET
AWAY ACROSS THE STREET.
THE DEPUTY FIRE MARSHALL HAS
THIS ADVICE FOR HOMEOWNERS, THE
SAFEST WAY TO THAW FROZEN WATER
PIPE IS TO HAVE A LICENSED
PLUMBER COME OUT AND DO IT.
DONNA: THANK YOU.
THREE FAMILIES WERE FORCED TO
FIND SOMEWHERE US TO STAY AFTER
A THREE ALARM FIRE SPREAD TO
THREE DIFFERENT ROOM HOMES.
FIREFIGHTERS GOT TO THE BUILDING
IN DUNDALK AFTER 10:30 A.M.
SUNDAY MORNING.
THE FLAMES SPREAD BEFORE THEY
WERE ABLE TO PUT IT OUT.
ONE PERSON WAS HOSPITALIZED.
THE CAUSE OF THE BLAZE IS UNDER
INVESTIGATION.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE IS
WORKING TO DEERMINE THE CAUSE
OF DEATH AFTER A MISSING
BALTIMORE CITY TEACHER WAS FOUND
DEAD THIS WEEKEND.
INVESTIGATORS FOUND GREGORY
FARRELL SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN
HIS CAR PARKED IN WEST
BALTIMORE.
POLICE SAY THE CAR HAD DARK
TINTED WINDOWS AND WAS LEGALLY
PARKED.
HE WAS LAST SEEN AT A NIGHTCLUB
ON DECEMBER 29 AND NEVER SHOWED
UP FOR WORK AFTER A WINTER
BREAK.
DETECTIVES SAY THEY WERE NO
OBVIOUS SIGNS OF TRAUMA OR HOW
PLAY.
AN AUTOPSY WILL DETERMINE THE
CAUSE OF DEATH.
STAN: POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A
DEADLY CRASH.
THIS WAS A SCENE FROM SKYTEAM 11
AT LAST CHECK.
THE ROAD HAS -- IS CLOSED BUT NO
WORD ON ANY OTHER INJURIES.
DONNA: IT IS A VENUE THAT MOST
OF US HAVE BEEN TO, MERIWETHER
POST PAVILION.
IT HAS BEEN UNDERGOING UNDER --
EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS.
STAN: RING THE PROCESS THE ROOF
COLLAPSED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
NIGHT OVER THE WEEKEND.
KIM DACEY JOINS US WITH DETAILS.
KIM: NO ONE WAS INJURED WHEN THE
ROOF COLLAPSED AND IT DID NOT DO
ANY OTHER DAMAGE BECAUSE ALL OF
THE SEATS HAD BEEN RIPPED OUT
BECAUSE IT IS UNDERGOING
RENOVATIONS.
MERIWETHER POST PAVILION HAS
LONG BEEN A STAPLE IN THE
COLUMBIA COMMUNITY.
>> IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOREVER.
I WENT TO CONCERTS IN THE 1970'S
THERE.
>> THERE ARE HIGH SCHOOLS FROM
COLUMBIA GRADUATE FROM
MERIWETHER.
KIM: IT HAS BEEN GETTING A
FACELIFT.
NOW FOUR YEARS INTO A FIVE-YEAR
RENOVATION.
THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF