ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A three-alarm fire tore through several row homes Wednesday afternoon in Allentown, leaving 11 residents displaced and sending one man to the hospital after a dramatic rescue, authorities reported.
Firefighters responded to the 400 block of Allen Street at approximately 2 p.m. following reports of a structure fire. First responders encountered heavy smoke billowing from the middle of a row home complex.
During initial fire suppression efforts, bystanders alerted Allentown Police that an occupant remained trapped in a third-floor bedroom at 436 Allen Street.
Personnel from Engine 6 and Truck 2, under the direction of Assistant Chief Jon Steed, successfully extricated the male victim through a third-floor window and down a ground ladder.
Allentown Paramedics transported the victim to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. Officials have not released information regarding his condition.
The blaze escalated to three alarms and caused significant damage to properties at 436 and 438 Allen Street, with neighboring structures potentially affected by smoke exposure.
The Catasauqua Fire Department supplied additional personnel, and the Woodlawn Fire Company, which deployed an air cascade truck to the scene, provided mutual aid.
The Allentown Fire Department Fire Marshal’s office has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.
