By Anthony Salamone
The Morning Call
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Two houses have been declared uninhabitable and 20 residents were displaced after fire ripped through a series of rowhomes Tuesday afternoon in Center City Allentown, according to the city’s fire chief.
The Allentown Fire Department reported before 3:30 p.m. that it was responding to a fire on the 700 block of North Seventh Street, near Tilghman Street. A short time later, the department posted that a third alarm had been requested for the blaze.
Flames could be seen shooting through the roof of one of the homes. Photos shared to social media showed a plume of smoke visible from blocks away in downtown Allentown.
Tuesday night, Fire Chief Efrain “Freddy” Agosto Jr . said the blaze, which began in an end unit and spread to two neighboring homes, had been brought under control by about 7 p.m. Firefighters were staying to check and extinguish hot spots, Agosto said, but rain, thunder and lightning from severe thunderstorms brought that effort to a pause.
No injuries were reported, as all residents apparently had evacuated the homes, Agosto said. An unidentified firefighter was evaluated for an unspecified matter at an area hospital, he said.
The fire started in the third floor of the end unit, the chief said. The roof of that and the adjoining home collapsed, leaving those houses inhabitable, Agosto said. The cause of the fire was still being investigated, he said.
Agosto said about 20 residents were displaced, including some residents in adjoining homes who had to be evacuated due to heavy smoke.
The American Red Cross has been notified.
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