A large apartment complex in Baltimore’s Brewers Hill neighborhood was partially evacuated Friday morning due to structural concerns after a rooftop pool buckled, according to the Baltimore Fire Department.

Fire Department Battalion Chief James Beebe said crews responded at about 8 a.m. for a reported water leak at the Axel Brewers Hill complex and found the pool had buckled up by about 4 feet.

“At that point, we were concerned of structural issues,” Beebe said outside of the complex at 1211 S. Eaton St. Crews evacuated the area underneath the pool as well as part of the building adjacent to it as a precaution. The building had been partially condemned as crews pumped water out of the pool, and a structural engineer was on the way, Beebe said.

“Our main concern is if it would collapse down,” Beebe said. “We don’t think it will right now,” he added, but crews still don’t know what caused the pool to buckle up.

A spokesperson for the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development said the apartment complex was last inspected on Oct. 15, 2020. It was awarded a rental license, which expired on Oct. 30, 2023, according to the spokesperson.

The apartment complex, formerly known as Alta Brewers Hill, was constructed in 2020 and has 371 units, according to a news release from Excelsior Communities, which purchased the complex in 2021. The property management group said in a Friday statement that it “immediately engaged engineers and repair specialists to assess the situation and fully understand the extent of the damage.”

“We have taken swift action to secure the area, ensuring there is no risk to residents or visitors,” the New York-based firm said, adding that its team “is actively working on a comprehensive repair plan,” and is “committed to resolving the issue as quickly as possible.”

Friday afternoon, the only visible sign from outside the building that something may have been amiss was a hose dangling from the balcony surrounding the pool and draining a steady stream of water onto the rocks below.

A large red sign on the lobby door read in all caps: “This property is condemned. The public is warned to keep away.”

Just behind those glass doors, a group of employees from the management company sat on the couches drinking coffee. They said they were not allowed to comment.

According to online building permits for the Brewers Hill complex, the outdoor rooftop pool was worked on in 2020. Construction for the pool included complete filtration and sanitizing systems installed in a filter room, the records say.

A database of Baltimore City’s Department of Housing and Community Development shows that in 2020, the apartment complex received a permit for a complex with 372 “dwelling units” including an “elevated deck pool.”

All non-owner-occupied properties in Baltimore City must register each year and the complex was most recently registered in December 2023, public city documents show. Rental buildings are required to be inspected by a state-licensed, third-party inspector, too, but not necessarily annually.

In 2021, Champlain Towers South, a Miami-area condominium, collapsed after being weakened by major structural damage nearly three years prior. A Maryland-based consultant had documented damage to several concrete support fixtures that were part of Champlain Towers South. The poolside deck of the condominium collapsed followed by the central and eastern wing of the building, causing a mass casualty of 98 people.

Axel Brewers Hill, the sprawling Baltimore complex across the street from the Canton Crossing shopping center, brands itself as a “high-end property” with “luxury amenities” including the pool, fitness centers, cafe, lounge spaces and a spa.

Resident Amy Diederich, 30, said she was still unpacking after moving into Axel Brewers Hill last week. Her apartment was not among those that were evacuated, and Diederich said she was not considering finding another place to stay for the night.

“The structural engineers report found that the building foundation was sound,” she said.

But she admits that the upheaval made her a bit nervous.

“I’ve been looking forward all week to Friday, thinking that I would finally get all my boxes unpacked,” she said. “It’s been a pretty chaotic day.”

Baltimore Sun reporters Hayes Gardner and Mary Carole McCauley contributed to this article.