Neighbors noticed smoke filling the windows at 215 East Franklin Street in Slatington and called 9-1-1. At 11:21 Wednesday morning, Lehigh County Comm Center transmitted the box for a house fire at that address sending Station 24, Engine 29, Ladder 29, Tanker 6, Rescue 11 for the F.A.S.T. and EMS 67.
To make it a quick response for the Slatington Fire Department, a supervisor for EMS 67 transferred an EMT over to drive Ladder 24 in order to get it out the door fast. Engine 24 was the next apparatus out the door.
Command arrived on scene and reported a working fire. Ladder 24 stretched a hand line to find a mattress fire in a bedroom. Command radioed dispatch and requested the police cruisers removed from blocking the fire hydrant so a supply line could be brought in to the ladder truck.
Two dogs were removed safely and placed in back of a police car.
Rescue 11 requested an additional F.A.S.T. company to supplement their crew due to being short staffed. Catasauqua Ladder 2 was dispatched but later recalled after the initial crew made a quick knock down on the fire. Primary and secondary searches came up negative except for the two dogs. The homeowners were not home at the time of the fire.
While crews were mopping up, one of the dogs escaped from the back of the police car after someone opened the door. Newsworking is not sure if the dog was found.
The cause of the fire appears at this time to be a cell phone charger that malfunctioned on the bed and ignited the mattress and bedding.
