One resident and two firefighters were injured in two house fires Friday morning in Bethlehem.
City fire chief Matthew Griffin said crews were called to house fires on East Fifth Street, on the South Side, and on Hart Street, in the northeast part of the city. Both homes were fully engulfed when crews arrived, and firefighters immediately began battling the blaze inside the homes.
Despite their efforts, both homes sustained major damage, the fire chief said. The fires were reported about 10 a.m.
A resident injured in the Hart Street fire was hospitalized and expected to be released later Saturday. Two firefighters suffered minor burns, and they were treated and released, Griffin said.
Photos posted on social media showed smoke billowing from both homes.
Fighting both fires required assistance from other area departments, including Allentown Fire Department and Nancy Run Volunteer Fire Co. from Bethlehem Township.
The assisting departments said their firefighters were first called to the South Side blaze before being called to the Hart Street fire to help firefighters there. Griffin thanked them for the help, calling their efforts “extraordinary.”
City police and EMS helped fire crews at the scene as well.
The Red Cross and the city’s health bureau are helping those displaced in the blaze.