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\n PHOTOS: Blaze tears through former Allentown furniture factory<\/a><\/p>\n
A charred, burnt car could be seen near the building.<\/p>\n
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Jayson Wagner | for WFMZ-TV<\/p>\n
The blaze was called in around 8:40 p.m. Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Flames spread to all three floors, putting nearby buildings at risk and leading to a six-alarm fire. Dozens of firefighters from across the region were called to assist.<\/p>\n
Crews attacked the blaze for hours from both the ground and above on ladder trucks. A shelter in place was put into effect in the area. Neighbors on Front Street were evacuated through their backyards.<\/p>\n
Flames extended to a rowhome directly across the street, the Allentown Fire Department said in a news release.<\/p>\n
There is no immediate word on what caused the fire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Jayson Wagner | for WFMZ-TV<\/p>\n
Gas and power were cut on the block. At one point, there were around 5,000 power outages reported.<\/p>\n
Residents at the scene told us they could see a huge plume of smoke and flames for miles.<\/p>\n
\u00a0“It was pretty big, I can’t lie. I was about 20 minutes away. I drove here and I was like, ‘boy, that was a big ole fire,'” said\u00a0Allentown resident\u00a0Alfred Williamson.<\/p>\n
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Jayson Wagner | for WFMZ-TV<\/p>\n
“When I first got here, it was really, really bad. You could see the ashes coming from the sky. It was pretty much raining down,”\u00a0Allentown resident\u00a0Mateo Trivino said.<\/p>\n
The structure sustained significant damage, and with walls and portions of the roof collapsed.<\/p>\n
Developers had put forward a proposal before to convert the property into apartments.<\/p>\n
Shelter in place<\/p>\n
Officials advised residents in the surrounding area to shelter in place until further notice.<\/p>\n
Residents in the 300 block of Front Street were told to exit their properties through their backyards, according to police Capt. Joshua Brubaker.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Allentown Police Department advised people to stay clear of the affected area and seek alternate routes. Police said 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.<\/p>\n
Authorities said they evacuated all the row homes across the street while fire crews examine the structures for any possible fire issues.<\/p>\n
Where to get help<\/p>\n
Residents who are impacted by Wednesday night\u2019s fire in the 1st Ward can find shelter at Resurrected Life Church, formerly Liberty Bell Church, at 620 W. Hamilton St., according to Allentown City Council in a social media post<\/a>.<\/p>\n The City of Allentown said it will be sharing more information on resources for those affected by the fire as the city works with faith leaders and community members. It also said the American Red Cross was on the scene assisting.<\/p>\n The Allentown Fire Department said it is reminding residents to ensure working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are installed on every level of their homes and to have a family escape plan<\/p>\n