ALLENTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Crews battled a massive six-alarm fire through the night at a former furniture factory in Allentown. Several homes across the street were damaged, and many people were displaced. A firefighter was also injured.
The fire broke out around 9 p.m. Wednesday at the former American Atelier factory at Front and Gordon streets, near the riverfront in Allentown.
Assistant Fire Chief Jon Steed said that within 15 minutes of arriving on the scene, they went all the way up to six alarms to get crews from nearby communities to help out.
The flames completely engulfed the 100-year-old building and charred eight row homes across the street. One of them was completely burned down. Neighbors said the building, which takes up a city block, had been vacant for decades.
The residents inside managed to get out safely; Steed said they issued an alert telling them to leave through the back of their homes. Other nearby homes were also evacuated as a precaution.
"Six [homes] are probably uninhabitable at this time," said Allentown Fire Chief Efrain Agosto Jr. "The residents are being assisted by Red Cross. Again, it’s one of those things where it’s just the heat itself took over and lit the fire on that side.”
A firefighter suffered minor injuries and was treated at the hospital. No residents were hurt.
Firefighters got the blaze under control after a few hours.
Some residents were still without power through the morning. A demolition crew will be tearing down what’s left of the building.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
