Overview
- A large commercial building on the 300 block of North Front Street caught fire on Wednesday night after emergency calls began around 8:40 p.m., and flames spread through all three floors.
- Lehigh County dispatchers escalated the response to a six-alarm incident as crews used ground attacks and aerial ladder units and shifted to defensive operations when parts of the roof and walls collapsed.
- Officials ordered evacuations and shelter-in-place guidance for nearby residents, opened an emergency shelter at Resurrected Life Church, and the American Red Cross deployed to assist displaced families.
- PPL cut power to the area and UGI shut gas service to the block, leaving thousands without electricity and prompting road closures while firefighters worked to keep flames from spreading.
- No civilian fatalities have been confirmed and investigators will examine the scene once it is safe; a firefighter was injured and is expected to recover while crews continue to monitor hotspots and structural stability.