Wind-driven flames and treacherous ice forced a second-alarm response as crews battled a blaze for hours Monday evening at Adams Island in East Allentown.
City Fire Department Captain of Public Affairs Jonathan Hammel said the fire started around 6:30 p.m. Monday at the homes along the Lehigh River.
All occupants escaped safely on their own, he said.
Hammel said responding crews found flames coming from the roof of one of the homes. Efforts to fight the fire were slowed due to the difficulty of gaining access onto the island and wind-driven fire conditions, he said.
Gusts quickly caused the fire to spread to a neighboring home, prompting officials to elevate it to a second alarm to bring in more manpower.
“Snow and ice made deploying and advancing hoses treacherous,” Hammel said. “To exacerbate the already challenging conditions, the cold caused some of the equipment and personal protective gear to freeze, rendering it inoperable.”
Multiple firefighters fell on the icy conditions and were evaluated by medics at the scene, he said. At least one firefighter was taken to an area hospital, treated and then released due to injuries from a fall, Hammel said.
No residents were injured.
It took firefighters roughly three hours to get the flames under control. They remained at the scene for several more hours into the evening, extinguishing hotspots, Hammel said.
One of the homes was deemed uninhabitable by city fire officials. The displaced residents found alternate housing on their own, Hammel said.
The cause of Monday’s blaze remains under investigation by city fire officials.