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.
First Source News || WFMZ-TV
Witnesses at the scene told 69 News that heavy flames are visible along Front Street, sending thick, black smoke into the air.
Officials are advising residents in the surrounding area to shelter in place until further notice.
Any resident in the 300 block of Front Street are asked to exit their properties through their backyards, according to fire captain Joshua Brubaker.
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.