PA Firefighter Injured Battling Residential Fire

A multi-alarm fire displaced at least eight residents and damaged several units in the 1100 block of Tilghman Street Thursday morning in Allentown.

The fire caused heavy damage through all three floors at 1123 Tilghman Street and spread to an additional unit, fire Capt. John Christopher said.

“We did have fire extension to the rear of 1121 Tilghman,” Christopher said. “There’s a lot of trapped heat and we hosed it down. We also had one firefighter with a minor injury who is being treated at the scene by EMS.”

Video posted to social media showed a large plume of smoke billowing from the scene, and others reported being able to see the smoke from miles away.

A third alarm on the fire was requested around 11 a.m., Christopher said. The bulk of the fire was knocked down by 11:30 a.m., and the Red Cross was called to assist the displaced residents.

No one else was injured in the blaze, Christopher said.

An Allentown police officer responding to the scene was involved in a multi-vehicle crash at 8th and Union Streets, Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca said.

“The police vehicle ended up on its roof. The officer was taken to an area hospital for treatment, as was the other driver involved, and the crash remains under investigation,” Roca said.

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