Thanks to a fire drill that flushed top officials out of City Hall, merchants who feel they are being unjustly driven from city-owned Cross Street Market by the private developer overhauling it had some unique access on Wednesday.

“This is wonderful. You were on my list to call!” said Anna Epsilantis, of Big Jim’s Deli, approaching James T. Smith Jr., chief of strategic alliances for Mayor Catherine Pugh.

Smith, Pugh and dozens of City Hall staffers and visitors were milling around outside the building awaiting permission to return inside.

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