Emergency Stabilization Underway at Unstable Empire Towers; Vehicles Remain Trapped

Baltimore, MD, August 18, 2026 —

GLEN BURNIE, MD – Emergency stabilization efforts are progressing at the Empire Towers office building in Glen Burnie, Maryland, following its evacuation on July 9 due to structural instability. The initial phase of work, focused on supporting the building’s underground parking garage concrete slabs with shoring posts, has been completed.

Approximately 100 vehicles remain trapped within the underground garage. The building was declared unsafe and subsequently evacuated after unpermitted construction work was identified as the cause of the instability. The evacuation order means that tenants and visitors have been unable to access their vehicles and personal belongings since that date.

The second phase of the stabilization project is now underway. This phase involves the installation of horizontal bracing and is anticipated to take approximately six weeks to complete. Once this phase is finished, building management plans to allow tenants to retrieve their vehicles and personal items from the garage.

In response to the disruption, building management has announced a $3,000 payment to affected individuals. This financial assistance is intended to help cover transportation expenses incurred due to the inability to access their vehicles.

The specific details regarding the unpermitted construction work and the timeline for full building assessment and repair have not been provided. The focus remains on ensuring the structural integrity of the building to allow for the safe retrieval of belongings.

Story summarized from the original created by Adam Thompson on www.cbsnews.com, see more information here.

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