Looks like the Block's on hiatus

Some of Baltimore's most-traveled streets remain closed today after two five-alarm fires within 24 hours disrupted traffic flow and bus service in the center of the city.

City Transportation Department spokeswoman Kathy Chopper said Charles Street remains closed  from Centre to Madison Streets after an overnight fire in a building near Mount Vernon Square. Meanwhile, Madison Street is  closed at St. Paul Street and Cathedral Street is closed at Chase Street.

Baltimore Street remains closed between Holliday and Gay streets  and Holliday has been shut down between  Baltimore and Fayette streets as a result of  yesterday's fire  on The Block. Chopper said  Baltimore Street could  remain closed  for  the next  couple days, but she had no word  from the  Fire Department on how soon Charles might be opened.

The Charm City Circulator Purple Route stop at the Washington Monument  is  closed and the line has been  detoured. Meanwhile , Chopper said, service on the Circulator's Orange Route has been delayed by the  Baltimore Street fire.

Meanwhile, the Maryland Transit Administration is continuing to divert bus routes around the sites of the two fires. The MTA said Routes 3, 11, 61, 64 have been diverted  from Charles to Calvert Street by the Mount Vernon fire.

Routes Routes 5, 8, 20, 23, 40, 48, 91 and the 160 Express Bus have been diverted onto Pratt Street by the fire in the 400 block of East Baltimore Street.

From the Baltimore Sun website.