Catasauqua, Pa. - Shortly after 20:00, Lehigh County sent Stations 2 and 18 to the 500 block of Howertown Road for a house fire. Police arrived and reported a fully-involved house fire.
Chief 2 (Hertzog) arrived shortly after and transmitted a working fire.. Greenawalds Rescue 11 was assigned as the F.A.S.T. company.
Engine 211 arrived and had heavy fire venting from the front of the house and stretched two hand lines to the front door and quickly darkened down the bulk of the fire. Ladder 231 positioned at the front of the building and their crew went to the roof to cut a vent hole.
Crews remained on the scene doing extensive overhaul for several hours. Northampton County's Nancy Run Fire Co. assisted with filling air bottles.
The fire is being investigated by the Fire Marshal's office and the Allentown Fire Department K-9.
Whitehall, Pa. - Shortly after 6:00 PM Whitehall Police Officer called on the radio reporting a car fire with entrapment due to a car accident. The scene is Rt. 145 near Eberhart Road.
A car turning onto Rt. 145 from Eberhart Road was hit by a pick-up truck traveling northbound on Rt. 145 at a high rate of speed and collided with the car. The car burst into flames and two occupants were unable to get out.
Whitehall responded with 1 engine and 2 rescue companies. One hand line was pulled from the first-due engine and the fire was quickly extinguished. The occupant(s) from the pick-up truck were freed and transported to the hospital by Cetronia EMS.
After the car fire was extinguished, firefighters prepared a tarp to put over the vehicle. The coroner was requested to the scene.
Rt. 145 was closed to all traffic including emergency vehicles for many hours after the incident. As of 02:00 Sunday morning, the road was still closed.
North Whitehall, Pa. - 8:46 AM Lehigh County sent Engines 12-11, 16-11, Whitehall 39-12, Ladder 16-31, Tanker 12-21 & 16-21 to the area of Rt.145 and River Road for a house fire with numerous calls received. Laurys Station Engine 12-11 requested a 2nd alarm as they went responding from the station.
The second alarm was transmitted at 08:54 requesting Tanker 22-21, Rescue 22-41, 11-41 for the F.A.S.T., Norco Engine 47-12, Rehab 66-51 and EMS 67.
Crews found a 1-story manufactured home fully involved. Engine 12-11 pulled into the long driveway and stretched numerous hand lines.
Bulk of the fire was darkened down 25 minutes later and crews went to work with extensive overhaul.
The property has a "for sale" sign posted at the driveway and fire officials are treating this fire as suspicious. Investigators called in the Fire Marshal's office from the City of Allentown to assist in the investigation.
Companies from North Whitehall, Whitehall and Lehigh Township assisted at the scene.
Forks Township, Pa. - Around 8:00 PM Forks Fire 25 was dispatched to 40 Clarendon Drive for an Automatic Fire Alarm. Command found heavy fire in the attached garage of a 2-story S/F/D and requested the 1st alarm transmitted.
Forks Fire Chief Charles Chapman told NewsWorking the fire originated in the laundry room adjacent to the garage. Heavy fire consumed the garage and portions of the dwelling. The chief said about 50 firefighters from 5 companies assisted at the scene. 4 lines were stretched and operating.
Forks, Palmer, West Easton, Plainfield and Lower Mount Bethel were at the scene.
Allentown, Pa. - Around 11:30AM, police responded to a complaint of a man walking with a machete in the area of Oak and Peach Streets. When police arrived and approached the individual, an altercation erupted and the two police officers shot the individual.
The male was rushed to a local trauma center in critical condition and later died of his injuries. The crime is taped off with crime scene tape while the police and Lehigh County District Attorney's office investigate the shooting.
Photos provided by our correspondent Mike Nester of NVP. You can see more of his photographs here.
Allentown, Pa. - At 18:58 box 3443 was transmitted for 747 E. Highland Street sending Engines 6, 13, 9, Truck 2 and Battalion 43 (Henrick) on the ticket. Two 911 calls were received.
Engine 6 arrives and reports heavy smoke from a 1-story auto repair shop. Two lines were stretched for a car fire inside the garage that extended to the cockloft. Battalion 43 arrived and transmitted a working fire signal bringing with it Engine 4 as the F.A.S.T. company.
All hands went to work and the box was held to the first alarm assignment. Crews had the fire under control 30 minutes later.
Allentown, Pa. - Allentown Fire Radio transmitted box 2255 (7th & Liberty) at 12:30 PM for house fire at 509 N. 7th Street, sending Engines 9 (8), 4, 6, Truck 2 and Battalion 43. Immediately after the box was transmitted, the dispatcher found on the street video cam heavy fire in the block and sent Engine 10 as the F.A.S.T. company.
Engine 9 arrived and found heavy fire venting from the first floor window and heavy smoke pushing from the upper floors. Car 43 signaled a working fire in a 3-story Middle-of-the-Row.
At 12:38, car 43 transmitted the 2nd alarm, bringing in the balance of the box, Engine 13 (5), Engine 14, Air 1, Car 40, 46, 47 and 48. 2 hand lines were stretched into the structure while Truck 2's bucket went to the upper floors. Crews found heavy fire throughout the structure.
Crews went into exposures 2 (511) and 4 (507) to check for extension. Searches of the buildings found 2 dogs that were brought out to safety and appeared to be okay.
Crews in 507 found heat damage and worked on opening up walls.
Chief 40 (R. Scheirer) transmitted the 3rd alarm, sending the last piece of apparatus available in the city to the fire scene, Engine 11. Lehigh County Volunteer companies were moved up to cover city stations.
The Red Cross was notified for two families.
View the complete photo gallery with 40 photographs here.
Emmaus, Pa. - Just after 12:00 PM Friday afternoon, Lehigh County Stations 7 and 28 take in a structure fire reported at 1st and Spruce Streets in the Borough.
The first fire officer on scene reports smoke showing from a 1-story semi-detached garage in the 100 block of Spruce Street and has the first engine company drop a supply line and stretch a hand line to the attic space of the garage for a fire.
Crews go to the roof to cut a vent hole. The fire was knocked down 10 minutes later. The garage sustained minimal damage. There was no extension to the home.
Photos by Mike Nester. View more of his photographs on Nester Video Production Facebook page here.
Mount Carmel, Pa. - On February 12th at 18:25 hours the Mount Carmel Fire Department (Five Stations), Mount Carmel Township Fire Department (Atlas Station) and AREA EMS were dispatched to East Center and Locust Streets in Mount Carmel for a house fire.
One of the assistant chiefs arrived on scene in minutes and found flames shooting from the rear of a 2 ½ story row home. He confirmed it was a working fire and determined there were three homes in danger of burning. He then requests to have the second alarm dispatched to the scene.
Fire units from Shamokin, Kulpmont, Coal Township and Ashland responded to the scene to assist. Engine 2 arrived first and established water supply from hydrant in front of the home.
Large hose lines and deck gun from Engine 2 were deployed and attacked the fire from the ALPHA Side. Ladder 2 staged and set up on the Delta Side of Exposure D. Atlas Engine 21 established a second water supply and staged to the rear of the home
on Side Charlie. Engine 21 crew deployed hose lines into the back yard to attack the fire.
Shamokin Ladder 32 staged at the Alpha-Bravo Corner of the Bravo Exposure home. The main ladder and ventilation crew was sent to the roof of the burning homes. The remaining of the 1st and Second Alarm units staged a block away and sent their crews to Side ALPHA for manpower.
The fire quickly spread throughout the second floor and attic of all three homes. Fire fighters mounted a defensive attack at first which then led into offensive interior operations.
The majority of the fire was knocked down in an hour from the interior with the hose lines. Multiple crews then entered all of the homes to overhauled and extinguish hot spots.
The crews from Rescue 62 and Engine 221 stood by as RIT on the scene. The Fire Chief believes the fire started in second floor rear room of the middle home.
A number of additional mutual aid fire units stood by for the Shamokin and Mount Carmel Fire Department throughout the incident.
STORY AND PICTURES FROM THE COAL REGION CORRESPONDENT STEPHEN BARRETT.
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