A three-alarm fire broke out in a vacant, former ice factory in West Baltimore on Tuesday evening which burned for hours before being brought under control. At 2213 hours, Box Alarm 36-1 sent Engines 36, 14, 8 (RIT), 13, 30, Trucks 10, 16, Rescue 1, and Battalion Chiefs 3, 6 to W. Franklin and N. Smallwood Streets for a report of a building fire. Engine 36 arrived with smoke showing from a 2 story warehouse. Truck 10 updated the report to fire showing thru the roof. Battalion Chief 3 assumed command, requested the second alarm, and advised all companies this would be a defensive operation. Companies were ordered to deploy 2.5 inch blitz lines, deck guns, and set up for ladder pipe operations. Tower 81 was special called on the second alarm for the aerial platform. The bulk of the fire involved the A/B corner and due to the condition and location of the building access hampered good positioning to attack the fire. A third alarm was requested as 2236 hours. Numerous ladder pipes and big lines poured water on the fire for several hours before the fire was placed under control. The factory was the site of a 2004 multiple alarm fire.