ALLENTOWN, Pa. (WLVT) - A fire tore through 10 houses in Allentown on Fountain St. around 3:20 a.m. Sunday morning, and 44 people have been displaced.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, according to Allentown Fire Department officials, but no one was seriously injured. Capt. John Christopher with the department said it took about two hours to knock down the bulk of the fire, but firefighters were still putting out hot spots well into Sunday afternoon.
Construction crews have been working to demolish the buildings involved, putting 30 people out of their houses permanently. “Once we start getting the rubble cleared, we can get back in here and start doing our investigation,” said Capt. Christopher.
There were reports of people hearing an explosion during the fire, but Capt. Christopher said that cannot be confirmed. There were noises heard that night, but when we got there, that whole wall was collapsed in front of the house,” said Capt. Christopher. “That had to make a racket, so I don’t know what was actually heard, so that’s what the investigation will focus on.”
The American Red Cross Lehigh-Bucks Chapter is also helping out in assisting the families. Executive Director, Peter Brown, said they typically spend about two to three months with the families, because it takes a while to get back on their feet. “These can be incredibly disruptive events,” said Brown. “They can disrupt school schedules for children, depending on what housing is available.”
Brown also said people don’t always realize what kind of problems the families are facing. ‘Simple things that you wouldn’t even think about, like ‘my car keys were sitting on the table, how do I get new ones. I lost my prescription eyeglasses.’”
If you would like to donate, you can drop off items to Reciprocity at 1329 Hamilton St. in Allentown.
