At least three firefighters and two civilians were hospitalized while several families were displaced after a massive fire spread through rowhomes in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Thursday.
The three-alarm fire started around 4:30 p.m. along the 700 block of Cedar Street and spread to multiple homes. Large flames rose from the roof of one of the homes and black smoke billowed throughout the area.
“I’m over here watching everything and Jesus Christ, they could barely stop the fire,” Brian Onofre, a witness, told NBC10. “It was one spot then they would extinguish it. Then it was another spot, extinguished. Another spot. Then it just kept going through the back.”
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Nearly 30 firefighters responded to the fire and were eventually able to get the flames under control. Two residents were taken to the hospital and one of the victims is possibly in critical condition, officials said. Three firefighters were also taken to the hospital after suffering minor injuries.
“I was praying to God. I was saying, ‘Lord, please save these people. Don’t let nothing happen to them.’ And yeah, I was just praying,” Onofre said.
Allentown Fire Captain Mike Pychinka told NBC10 Thursday night’s frigid conditions made fighting the fire especially difficult.
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“The cold puts a damper on our operations because you have to watch for slip hazards and it’s not easy when guys are up on the roof working and it’s cold like this and everything is freezing up,” Captain Pychinka said.
Several families were displaced due to the fire. Neighbors told NBC10 they helped supply clothes and socks to some of the displaced residents who have children.
“It’s Christmas,” Jariel Lopez, a witness, told NBC10. “That’s sad. You know how many gifts that kids just probably had in all those houses and it’s burnt up in flames. That’s everybody’s property and everything they owned. It’s sad. I’m just heartbroken for them.”
Firefighters have not yet determined the cause of the fire. They continue to investigate.
