2-alarm blaze displaces 3 families in Allentown, fire official says

Three families were displaced Sunday when a swift-moving blaze swept through a row of attached homes in Allentown, a fire official said.

Allentown Fire Department Captain of Public Affairs Jonathan Hammel said flames ignited at 3:15 p.m. in the 1500 block of West Allen Street. The fire originated in the center home of three row houses, with flames spreading to the structures on either side, Hammel said.

The fire was elevated to a second alarm to bring in more manpower. There were no reported injuries.

“Crews worked diligently to keep the damage to the exposures as minimal as possible while bringing the fire under control,” Hammel said.

All three homes were deemed uninhabitable. The cause of Sunday’s blaze remains under investigation by the Allentown fire marshal.