By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott (D) and other city officials provided an update on July 11 about the mass overdose that occurred at the intersection of Pennsylvania and North avenues in West Baltimore the day prior.
“Yesterday was a terrible day for the Penn-North community,” said Scott at the live-streamed press conference on July 11. “At least 25 residents suffered overdoses. Countless others were traumatized by what they saw and experienced, and we know that folks will be feeling the impacts for a long time, and we will be here to support them every step of the way.”
Scott reported that there have been no fatalities as a result of this incident.
On the morning of July 10, first responders from the Baltimore City Fire Department, along with other city agencies and community partners, responded to the mass overdose incident and remained on the scene through the evening.
“Our community partners stepped up and saved countless lives because of their quick action,” said Scott. “They were out here all day and all night, canvassing, administering Narcan and getting folks connected to the care and support that they need.”
The city’s coordinated neighborhood stabilization response has been enacted.
“MONSE (the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement) and community partners will be here to offer harm reduction and overdose prevention support as well as other wraparound services for the coming weeks,” said Scott.
The mayor said the incident is still being investigated by the Baltimore Police Department. The cause of the overdoses has not been confirmed.
“There have been 27 total patient transports from this incident scene in various conditions,” said Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace. “Seven of those were deemed to be priority one or critical. Fifteen of those were deemed to be serious, however, non-life-threatening, and the balance…were non-critical patients.
On July 10, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) commented on the incident via social media.
“Our team is coordinating with state agencies, city officials, and first responders on the ground in West Baltimore today,” said Moore in the statement. “I’m grateful to those who quickly alerted us about this situation, and those who are providing support to the community.”
Baltimore Firefighters International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 734, in a social media post on July 10, said that this mass overdose underscores the toll Baltimore’s fentanyl crisis is having on emergency services. Paramedic shortages and scaled-back response units have limited life-saving care. Despite opioid settlement dollars, long-term staffing and funding deficits persist.
The scale of the crisis left overdose response teams stunned.
“Nobody has ever seen anything like this before,” said Vincent Timmons, an outreach specialist for Tuerk House, as the sweltering heat of the day weighed upon all of those responding to the scene. “All of these people falling out…It started at 10 o’clock this morning and is still going. This is unbelievable.”
The Tuerk House is a crisis stabilization center based in Baltimore that provides people under the influence of drugs or alcohol or recently overdosed, connecting them with recovery resources and more.
Vincent said people were even falling out due to an overdose on public transportation.
According to response teams, reports about people overdosing came out between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. By noon, first responders and community partners were on site.
“Everybody knows Penn-North and what it’s for,” said Timmons, referring to the area’s reputation as a well-known drug hotspot.
Pierre Thomas, director of admissions for Tuerk House, shared the event through his perspective.
“One of my staff members reached out to me around 12:18 p.m. and told me that there was an overdose where a bad batch of heroin or fentanyl leaked out, and there were 11 overdoses–at the time,” said Thomas. “What was reported to me is that the majority of those overdoses went to the emergency rooms. There’s a good chance that once they get stable, they’ll be sent to the crisis stabilization center, so we have to be ready to receive them.”
Thomas said they’ll also have to inspect the clients as they arrive to ensure none of the substance that caused the incident gets into Tuerk House’s facility.
Josie Dantzler, a nurse practitioner with Penn North Recovery, a local nonprofit providing recovery and behavioral health services, said she hopes the attention will bring lasting help to the community’s fight against drug use and overdoses.
“I appreciate the helping hand, but who knows what happens after this is over,” said Dantzler. “When they leave, we’re still here, day in and day out.”
In a media release, the Mayor’s Office of Overdose Response and Baltimore City Health Department published a reminder to people in the city who use drugs to engage in harm and risk reduction practices, which include:
- Never use drugs alone. Have someone around in case you overdose.
- Carry Naloxone/Narcan. Both are available for free through the Baltimore City Health Department.
- Test your drugs. There are Fentanyl and Xylazine test strips available through the Baltimore City Health Department.
- Go slow. The illicit drug supply is potent and mixed with various substances, so use smaller amounts if possible.
“Good Samaritan laws are in effect, and folks can seek medical care without fear of arrest,” said Scott.
Black Baltimoreans are disproportionately represented in data concerning overdoses in the city.
According to data from the Maryland Department of Health Overdose Dashboard, in 2023 in Baltimore City, 3,103 Black people visited the emergency department for an opioid related overdose compared to 577 White people.
Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734 is calling for the recovery of advanced life support units, investment in Baltimore’s emergency medical services workforce, more effective use of opioid settlement finances for lasting solutions and enhanced response plans for overdose emergencies.
“The City Council and Mayor must prioritize funding for full ALS deployment, sustainable paramedic staffing models and strategic use of opioid settlement funds that ensure long-term solutions,” said Matthew Coster, president of the Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734 in a statement on July 10.
The Baltimore City Health Department encouraged anyone in need of immediate assistance to contact the Baltimore City Operator at 410-396-3100 for Harm Reduction Services.