Several Baltimore residents were displaced after a large multi-use warehouse caught fire Monday evening. Baltimore Fire officials removed families from 15 households on North Bentalou Street out of precaution.

The Red Cross said those residents will be temporarily housed in a hotel.

"It was smoky"

The fire on W. Lanvale Street blocked off several neighboring streets, and a heavy plume of smoke hovered in the sky.

"No telling how long this is going to go on," said resident Gwendolyn Brown.

"Thank God that the fire, if it had to happen, it happened across the street from a fire station," said Nadean Paige, another resident and community leader.

As residents wait for the scene to clear and for roads to reopen, some neighbors are thinking ahead. Because of heavy smoke in the area, Gwendolyn Brown is passing out masks to first responders and community members.

"We are supposed to look out for each other, that's what we try to do," Brown said.

Paige said she's reached out to other activists discussing outreach efforts to displaced residents.

"How can we as a community mobilize to provide resources and help them as they navigate through this?" Paige said.

Several residents were surprised to learn the warehouse contained mattresses. Some thought it was just an abandoned property.

Business impact

Businesses like Sudsville Laundry are wondering how they're going to make up for the money lost on Tuesday.

"Normally, our laundromat is full by now," said Charmaine Jackson, the lead attendant at Sudsville Laundry. "By 8:30, it's packed."

The coin laundromat sits beside the warehouse on Edmonson Avenue.

"You can feel the heat. You can smell the smoke," Jackson said "I was really scared to come in here because it's so close."