Allentown Fire Dispatch transmitted box 2334 for 613-1/2 West Cedar Street for a house fire with possible people trapped sending Engines 6, 9, 10, 13, Truck 2 and Battalion 43 (Hess) at 19:30.
Companies arrived to a working fire from the 3-story middle-of-row (MOR). Engine 9 positioned in front of 613 facing west on Cedar coming in from 6th Street. Engine 6 brought water into the scene from 7th and Cedar and nosed into Engine 9 to supply them with water.
Engine 13 came up the alley off of Greenleaf Street just to the east of 613 Cedar Street. Engine 13 found heavy fire venting from 613-1/2 second floor and extending horizontally to 613 and 615. A brick fire wall between 615 and 617 stopped the fire from spreading down the row.
Engine 9 had four lines stretched and operating in three houses. Engine 13 had one line stretched and operating in the rear. All searches came up negative.
Chief 43 struck out the 2nd alarm as the fire was rapidly extending throughout the 3 homes via the walls and ceilings. The 2nd alarm brought in Engines 4, 14, Truck 1, Air 1, Chief 40 (Agosto).
As crews worked to open up the interior of the homes and keep finding fire, the 3rd alarm was struck bringing in the last apparatus in the city, Engine 11.
Lehigh County dispatched surround volunteer companies to man the city fire houses while the city continued to battle the fire for 4 hours.
There was extensive overhaul operations as crews had to expose pockets of fire throughout the 3 homes.
No reports of civilians or firefighters injured at the time of this writing.
