38 displaced after fire damages 8 homes in Allentown – NBC10 Philadelphia

About 38 people were displaced from their homes after a fire broke out Sunday morning at a rowhouse in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The Allentown Fire Department was called to a home at 30 South Jefferson Street for a structure fire that broke out at 11:56 p.m., firefighters said.

Firefighters arrived at midnight to find the back of the house engulfed in flames. The fire had already spread to neighboring buildings on the street.

Crews began extinguishing the fire and conducted search and rescue operations to confirm that everyone had exited the building safely.

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Johnathan Gamba, a resident of one of the buildings, had to break through a wall to get his 7-year-old cousin out of the house.

He said when he and his family woke up, their kitchen was engulfed in flames.

When Gamba realized his younger cousin was stuck on the top floor, he and a neighbor quickly sprang into action to reach 7-year-old Wendy. Everyone got out safely.

Officials said one resident was taken to the hospital for a non-life-threatening medical issue. All other residents escaped without injury.

One firefighter was also taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was treated and released.

A total of eight houses were damaged in the fire, and neighbouring buildings suffered smoke and flooding.

Firefighters had the blaze under control within five hours. Crews remained on scene Monday morning.

“We used up all of our shifts and then I think we reached out to four or five other communities for help,” said Fire Chief Christian Williams of the Allentown Fire Department.

Assistance is provided by the Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross, which is evacuating 29 adults and nine children.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.