Some Baltimore offices still offline after Monday's fire

Up to 10 Baltimore City agencies were without Internet and e-mail access yesterday due to damage to fiber optic cable caused by Monday's underground electrical fire.

The Bureau of Purchases and the Mayor's Office for Children, Youth and Families were among a number of agencies located south of Fayette Street that were still affected yesterday as Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. crews worked in conduits underground to disconnect power, clearing the way for the damaged fiber optic lines to be replaced, said Elliot Schlanger, chief information officer at the city Department of Information Technology Services.

The lines were burned after a fire erupted early Monday morning at Guilford Avenue and Fayette Street, knocking out power to area businesses and rendering blocks of traffic lights inoperable.

A total of 2,400 city and state employees were sent home Monday as crews worked to extinguish the fire, investigate it source and assess the damage. By Monday afternoon, power was restored.

Although most city offices are now fully operational again, the still-affected agencies, which do have working computers, are mostly housed in buildings not owned by the city.

Some fiber optic lines have already been repaired, and wherever possible the city has rerouted computers to alternative fiber pads.

Schlanger, optimistic the damaged cable will be replaced by the end of the week, said the crews will work through the weekend - if need be - to get the affected agencies back online by Monday.

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