Three-alarm Allentown fire displaces over a dozen residents, 6 firefighters injured
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Cleanup continues in the heart of Allentown on Tuesday after a 3-alarm fire leaves several buildings on Hamilton Street charred. A fire burned multiple buildings in the heart of Allentown on Monday night and displaced more than a dozen residents, Mayor Matt Tuerk said.
"There's significant damage all over," said City Building Code Official Joseph Franzone.
Fire officials said the call arrived around 5:30 p.m. Monday for a fire near 12th and Hamilton Streets. When they arrived, Deputy Fire Chief Christian Williams said multiple buildings were involved, and the fire posed significant challenges for his crews.
"They quickly went inside and attempted to knock it down from the inside, but the fire got to be too much so we had to back out at one point," said Williams.
Firefighters bogged down in heavy gear also had to deal with the intense summer heat hitting our area. Williams said crews from nearby towns were called in to help, but six firefighters [five from Allentown and one from an outlying community] were taken to the hospital. They have since been treated and released.
Tuerk said neighbors showed heart and pitched in to help each other and the firefighters. A nearby library and church opened their doors to keep residents cool.
Arshad Zaheer owns the 7-Eleven that stands caddy-corner from the scene. He said he was at his shop when the fire broke out.
"The smoke, oh my God, it was too much smoke," he said.
Zaheer said officials asked him to close his store, which he did. But he also wanted to help the people who were battling the blaze.
"I said OK, we will close the store, but we will help the firefighters and officers and stuff. So we will start giving them slurpees and slushies to cool them down," he said.
"The 7-Eleven was great. He was handing out Big Gulps too. So they were taking care of us," said Williams.
Williams also shouted out local paramedics who helped treat firefighters. Zaheer tells CBS News Philadelphia it was natural for him to do what he could to help.
"This is our community, our people. We try to help as much as we can," said Zaheer.
By Tuesday, the American Red Cross said it was helping at least 21 people, 13 adults and 8 children, who were displaced by the fire. Franzone said two structures suffered water and smoke damage, while the other two most heavily impacted by the fire were "not livable." They won't need to be completely torn down, according to Franzone, but they will have heavy renovations.
"We're appreciative of the Red Cross...we're appreciative to the local business owners," Tuerk said. "We've been able to activate the neighborhood and Allentonians take care of each other."
Several residents who were displaced by the fire stopped by to see the damage and gather belongings. City officials said work is underway to find places for these people to stay.
"Three of these owners have come together and I'm hearing that some tenants have already gotten places to live in," said Franzone.
The cause of Monday's fire is still under investigation.