Fire in Pennsylvania displaces 15 people, injures 5 including 2 firefighters and 2 paramedics
Five people, including two firefighters and two paramedics, were taken to the hospital and 15 people were displaced after a fire in Allentown, Pennsylvania, early Tuesday morning, the Allentown Fire Department announced in a release this afternoon.
The fire department responded to reports of a fire in the area of North Third and Hamilton streets just after 12:30 a.m. and saw an RV and multiple homes nearby on fire.
The fire was under control within 90 minutes, and crews remained on the scene until 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.
"Three buildings were damaged by the fire and adjoining structures suffered smoke and water damage," the release said. A resident, two firefighters and two paramedics were taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and all were later released, the fire department said in the release.
The release said 30 people were initially displaced by the fire, and the Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross is helping out 15 people who are unable to return home.
Firefighters faced challenges putting out the flames with high winds and freezing temperatures. To limit the fire spread, more firefighters went to the adjoining structures.
"They made an aggressive attack on the fire while conducting search-and-rescue efforts throughout the interior to confirm all occupants had safely evacuated," the release said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The Woodlawn Fire Company and the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority helped out the Allentown Fire Department.
