Pigtown Residents Demand Answers After Vacant House Floods Basements

BALTIMORE, Md. — Pigtown residents are seeking answers after a leaky pipe in a vacant house flooded their basements. City officials confirmed the source of the water to be from the adjacent vacant property following an investigation.

Kim Manuel, a longtime resident of Pigtown for 28 years, expressed her concerns about the potential for mold and damage to her basement walls. Her home, more than 100 years old, faced significant flooding. “My whole foot went into the water. I was like, ‘What the? What is this coming from?'” said Manuel.

A video recorded on August 25 showed Manuel and her neighbors battling approximately two feet of water in her basement. Other residents, including Marlina Robinson, experienced similar flooding. “Heck yeah, because, like, who feels like that when you get home?” Robinson said. “It was coming from the front,” she added, describing the shock upon her return home.

As the cleanup continued, residents took action. “I was pretty fast, got a submersible, etc., pumped out mine. I pumped out Miss Kim’s,” Robinson recalled. However, fixing the damage poses a significant financial burden.

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) confirmed the flooding was caused by a leak on the private water service line of the vacant property. The property’s owner told residents that squatters stole pipes and the air conditioning unit. Manuel recounted, “He said he had a letter that stated he was not responsible for the water because squatters did it.”

City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter and 11 News Investigates have been attempting to clarify the situation. Porter commented, “We’ve heard quite a few details that we’ve been unable to confirm with the owner and with the city.”

DPW officials stated they had not issued any letters to the property owner about liability for nearby flooding. “We do not determine liability,” they said in their statement. Manuel stressed that homeowners should regularly check their properties, whether occupied or vacant. “You need to check on the property,” she urged.

As inquiries into the situation continue, the city is working to address the issue and ensure accountability, while the owner of the vacant house has been unresponsive to media attempts for comment.