ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Multiple fire crews are on the scene of a massive commercial building fire on Wednesday night.
County dispatchers say the blaze has escalated to a six-alarm response. The first alarm came in around 8:40 p.m.
The fire is burning at a building in the 300 block of North Front Street. Now, crews are in an urgent battle to keep the fire from spreading to other buildings on the block.
Firefighters are currently attacking the flames from the ground while deploying multiple aerial ladder units to battle the blaze from above.
All three floors of the building are on fire, and PPL has turned off power in that area.
Over 3,000 PPL customers in the area are without power as a result.
UGI crews are shutting off gas to the entire block.
The structure has sustained significant damage, and portions of the roof are completely collapsed.
Parts of the walls have collapsed, with fire damage visible throughout the structure.
First Source News || WFMZ-TV
Shelter in place
Officials are advising residents in the surrounding area to shelter in place until further notice.
Residents in the 300 block of Front Street should exit their properties through their backyards, according to police Capt. Joshua Brubaker.
The Allentown Police Department is advising people to stay clear of the affected area and seek alternate routes. Police say residents should not attempt to return to their homes until emergency personnel determine it is safe, and they should follow all instructions from police, fire and emergency responders on scene.
The City of Allentown says to follow the Allentown Police Department for additional updates as they become available.
There is no immediate word on what caused the fire or if any injuries have been reported.
This is a developing story. Stick with 69 News on the web and on air for updates as more information becomes available.