The call went out before 12:30 p.m. Sunday at North American Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.
A third alarm was struck at 12:40 p.m.
Still images sent from the scene by Action News photographer Olga DeJesus showed flames and thick black smoke coming from the roof of what appeared to be a commercial building.
There was extensive firefighter activity and it took firefighters nearly an hour to get the upper hand. No injuries were reported.
Later Sunday, authorities say there was a concern that some homes impacted by the fire are in danger of collapsing.
As a precaution, residents in those homes were evacuated. The Red Cross has been called in to assist those who were displaced.
The cause of the blaze remains unknown.
