Block-long section of Baltimore street collapses in heavy rains; cars sink, houses evacuated

BALTIMORE – A block-long section of a residential street has collapsed in Baltimore, sending cars sliding down a steep embankment onto railroad tracks and forcing the evacuation of several homes. No injuries have been reported.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake said a sidewalk and retaining wall slid with mud and debris onto railroad tracks used by CSX on Wednesday afternoon. Blake said all of the houses on the block had been evacuated, although she did not say how many.

Department of Public Works engineers were inspecting the rest of the street while gas and electric crews examined a gas line.

Rawlings-Blake said it was too soon to determine what caused the collapse. The National Weather Service says more than 3 inches of rain have fallen on the Baltimore area since Tuesday afternoon.