‘Good memories there’: Locals mourn loss of historic Allentown building after 6-alarm fire | Allentown Area

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The old furniture factory on North Front Street ravaged by a fire Wednesday night is in the middle of being torn down. 

‘A range of emotions’: Old factory building that went up in flames is coming down, as demolition gets underway in Allentown

And while the rain paused the rest of its demolition on Saturday, many are already mourning its loss.

Lydia Rodriguez grew up in one of the houses directly across from the large building that caught fire on North Front Street Wednesday night.

“To know that everything is practically gone,” she said. “And it’s sad.”

Three days later, some, Like Rodriguez’s parents, are still waiting to be able to go home.

“Right now I’m waiting for Red Cross and United Way,” Rodriguez said. “They’re assessing.”

The fire began at a former furniture factory, before spreading to several homes across the street. 

“The memories symbolize that, wow, it’s gone,” Rodriguez said.

But Lydia Rodriguez isn’t only mourning the loss of her childhood home.

On Friday, demolition of that large, ruined building began.

“I am very sad,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez’s dad worked there, back when it was known as Bethlehem Furniture Company.

“Every floor I walked through it when I was little with my dad, coming in for break, I would walk in there with him,” she said. “And I look now and it’s like, wow. There’s no more memories to look at.”

“We’re going to miss that building,” Luis Luna said. “Every time I pass every day, and I always look that place, and I have good memories there.”

For Luna, the building was a symbol of opportunity.

“When I come from Puerto Rico,” he said, “I started working in ’89 for about three years. It was my first job in Pennsylvania.”

The job brought Luna to Allentown from New Jersey. He fell in love with the Lehigh Valley, and later opened up his very own bakery on West Linden Street.

“Allentown, it’s a good place to live,” he said, “even though some sad things happen, but it’s a good place to be.”

Two kids now face charges in connection with the fire, including arson. 

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DA: Two juveniles in custody, charged for massive 6-alarm factory fire in Allentown

“I am shocked to know that it’s juveniles,” Rodriguez said.

“I don’t know what happened,” Luna said. “What is in their mind to do that?”

Meanwhile, officials continue to actively investigate.

“We don’t know the extent,” Rodriguez said. “What really happened, how it happened.”