EASTON, Pa. – A three-alarm fire at the Hotel Hampton in downtown Easton left one firefighter and three people injured as well as 3,500 people without power Friday.

The fire is now under control, but the damage will take months to repair. 

Over 3,000 Met-Ed customers lost power in the city of Easton on Friday after a three-alarm fire at a multi-story building. 

According to Met-Ed’s outage map, up to 3,503 customers were without power. That is 26% percent of Met-Ed customers in Easton. 

As of 4:00 p.m. power has been restored by Met-Ed crews.

275 people were evacuated out of the Crayola Experience building, which lost power, according to a spokesperson for Crayola. 

Crayola will be closed for the rest of the day and plan to reopen on Saturday depending on the conditions of the downtown fire.  

The Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers have opened an emergency shelter at Paxinosa Elementary School in Easton to provide displaced residents with food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, and other assistance.

Red Cross shelters are open to everyone in need after a disaster, and all disaster assistance is free, according to a news release. 

One firefighter was injured during the incident, but the severity of their injuries is unknown at this time, according to officials.

“The crews are right in the middle of the smoke. It’s probably the craziest fire I’ve ever seen this close,” said Easton Fire Chief Henry Hennings.

“We did have one firefighter injury. We did have three civilians that were transported to local hospitals,” he continued. 

“Have everybody say a prayer for him,” the fire chief said of the injured firefighter. 

3 civilians were removed from the building, fire officials said.

“When we did arrive, there were people hanging out of multiple windows. Front, back, and side. So we went into rescue operation right away to try to get those people out,” Hennings said. 

The State Theatre, which is located across the street from the location of the fire, has cancelled Friday night’s performance of “Riverdance 30” at the request of the Easton Fire Department, the city said. 

Flames broke out around 10:45 a.m. Friday in the 400 block of Northampton Street, according to Northampton County dispatchers.

Fire crews say that the fire started in the basement of the Hotel Hampton located at 462 Northampton Street.

3-alarm fire erupts at multi-story building in Easton 2-20-26

Jayson Wagner | for WFMZ-TV

Heavy smoke poured out of the building, which includes a mix of business and residential uses. 

Crews struck three alarms to call more manpower to the scene. Fire companies from across the Lehigh Valley responded to the fire.

The Nancy Run Fire Company, which provided mutual aid to fire crews, said in a Facebook post that there were reports of occupants trapped in the building. 

Easton fire 2-20-26

Jayson Wagner | for WFMZ-TV

The city says the roadway near the fire is closed. People are asked to avoid the area, as well as the 400 block of Pine Street.

Fire erupts in Easton 2-20-26

WFMZ-TV | Heather Beck

There’s no word on what sparked the flames.

Stay with 69 News while the story develops.