Community Corner

In Catonsville, Cars Rocked, Antiques Broke and Guitars Swayed on Display

Residents, business owners recount what happened during the earthquake.

It didn't take long for customers in businesses along Frederick Road to rush outside after they felt the earth shake.

But not everyone in Catonsville knew what was happening when the 5.8 magnitude quake hit shortly before 2 p.m.

Standing in the on Baltimore National Pike, Danny Bruno saw the lights on the ceiling start swaying.

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"I thought somebody was working on the ceiling pipes," he said, but a customer who got the news via text informed him it was a quake.

At Andrews Air Force Base in southern Maryland, Andre Henderson was working under an airplane when he saw the ground move. He said he first thought there was an explosion, then scurried out from under the plane when he realized it was a quake.

Find out what's happening in Catonsvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Along Frederick Road, Ned Atwater had a moment of fear upstairs in the old building leases on Frederick Road. The building shook in a way that was only familiar to an employee downstairs who had lived in California. It wasn't long before everyone was out of the building.

At Bill's Music, employees watched the guitars on display sway back and forth on the walls. Nothing appeared to be damaged, however.

At across the street, employees Cassie Wilson and Anastasiya Hardison ran to a doorway with several customers. They heard a crash and suffered the loss of several antiques.

At last count, the store had about 12-13 items that were marked 'Earthquake Damage.'

"It was pretty amazing," Wilson said. "I'm actually surprised at how much stayed."

At UMBC, evacuations of buildings occurred in an orderly fashion after a text message was sent to students and faculty by UMBC police.


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