At 02:55 Sunday morning, Lehigh County transmitted a box for a building fire at the Heather Glen Assisted Living facility at 415 Blue Barn Road in Upper Macungie Township sending stations 8, 56, 25 and Medic 62.
A neighbor behind the facility called in that a deck was on fire and that the residents were still inside. Chief 8 struck out the 2nd alarm and requested additional truck companies due to the fact that he has a working fire and the facility is fully occupied.
The deck was burning in the rear portion of the building and worked its way into the roof. Seven residents were removed via ground ladders in the rear wing as the fire burned above them.
Roughly 80 residents were evacuated from the building. Some were transported to an area hospital to be evaluated, the others to the Trexlertown Fire Company for shelter.
Firefighters continued to work from the inside second floor pulling down ceilings to gain access to the fire in the attic. The fire burned for two hours before being contained. Companies from Lehigh, Berks and Northampton Counties were on scene assisting in battling the blaze.
Two firefighters were injured.
