By Steve Novak
The Express-Times
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A three-alarm fire that started in an Allentown row home on Sunday morning touched 12 other houses down the block as it spread, making it inside three of them.
Three residents were injured and two pets died in the blaze, Allentown Fire Capt. John Christopher confirmed.
The fire began around 6:30 a.m. at 915 Penn St., which sustained extensive damage, and extended to the interior of neighboring homes at 917 and 913 Penn.
The flames got to the outside porch and continued under the roof down the block causing minor to moderate external damage. “It got into those porch roofs and just kept going,” Christopher said.
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An unresponsive woman was rescued from 915 Penn and hospitalized, he said. Two more people from that address were being treated for burns. Their conditions and the extent of their injuries were not immediately known.
Two firefighters also required treatment: one from exertion during the response, the other from a reaction to a bee sting.
Crews remained on scene as of 10:30 a.m. watching for any rekindling as investigators searched for a cause. Christopher said the Red Cross will assist nine residents from the three most impacted homes.
The scenario was similar to a destructive, six-alarm blaze in May that affected a block of 15 row homes in Easton’s West Ward.
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