ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A rowhouse fire in the 700 block of Cedar Street made it up to a third alarm Thursday night, as it spread to at least four neighboring homes.
Officials say that means all city firefighters, as well as two engines from neighboring townships, were called in.
“Fires like this are hard to knock down,” Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk said. “It takes a while to get them fully under control.”
Officials say that means all city firefighters, as well as two engines from neighboring townships, were called in.
“Fires like this are hard to knock down,” Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk said. “It takes a while to get them fully under control.”
A fire in the 700 block of Cedar Street in Allentown saw intense flames, billowing smoke and electrical wires throwing off sparks.
Tuerk says he could see the flames from inside his office on Hamilton Street. He first received notice of the fire at 4:40 Thursday afternoon, around the time crews responded to the scene.
“This is a tight, densely packed neighborhood,” he said. “And the fire spread to a couple adjacent units, and smoke spread to other units.”
Tuerk came to the scene to help out in any way he could. He said since many neighbors and residents only spoke Spanish, he was able to help translate.
Meanwhile, an Allentown police captain confirmed this was a police incident before firefighters responded.
“Police units responded to an incident at the scene, and the situation escalated from there,” Tuerk said. “It’s still under investigation.”
Capt. Mike Pychinka with the Allentown Fire Department said crews don’t know which building the fire started in, but 719 and 721 Cedar St. seem to have gotten the worst of it.
“There’s still active fire in (7)19 or (7)21,” he said. “It’s in a spot where we can’t get crews in there, and it’s just playing havoc with us right now.”
Pychinka said everyone made it out of the building alive. One woman was rescued from the basement window, he said. Four firefighters were sent to the hospital with minor injuries. Two neighbors were also sent to the hospital, but so far, there is no word on their conditions.
Pychinka says all five houses are damaged, and a few more have no power. About 30 people have been forced from their homes. People who had nowhere to go were staying warm on a LANTA bus on Thursday evening.
“They’re just trying to figure out what’s next,” Tuerk said. “But good people in the whole neighborhood are coming out, and just making sure they’re checking on their loved ones.”
