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Pa. firefighter injured in ladder fall at 3-alarm blaze

The Allentown firefighter was transported to an area hospital after falling from a ladder at a row home fire

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The fast-moving fire ultimately caused a roof collapse.

Photo/Rich Maxwell

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann
The Express-Times, Easton, Pa.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A three-alarm blaze that began in the center of a set of three Allentown row homes led to two injuries early Sunday, the city’s fire chief said.

The fire began sometime around 4 a.m. at 1028 Chew Street, which is vacant, said Fire Chief James Wehr. He said an elderly couple at 1026 Chew Street to the left and an adult and three children at 1030 Chew Street to the right, all escaped safely.

It took firefighters about 45 minutes to get the swift-moving flames under control, which caused a roof collapse at 1028 Chew, Wehr said. At one point, a city firefighter was injured when he fell from a ladder. Another resident at 1026 Chew Street also was taken to an area hospital for an injury, Wehr said.

The firefighter’s injury appeared to be minor; a condition was unknown for the resident Sunday, Wehr said.

Fire officials continue to investigate the cause of the blaze and where it originated on the three-floor vacant house. The home at 1026 Chew sustained minor roof damage while the home at 1030 Chew had some fire damage.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.

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©2020 The Express-Times, Easton, Pa.

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