6-alarm blaze – A massive 6-alarm fire tore through the former American atelier furniture factory in Allentown on Wednesday night, damaging nearby homes and leaving more than 2,000 PPL customers briefly without power. Authorities evacuated residents on North Front Street thro
Flames swallowed a commercial building on North Front Street, turning a former furniture factory into a burned-out shell by the time crews got control of the scene.
The fire broke out around 8:45 p.m. in the 300 block of North Front Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and escalated to a 6-alarm blaze. Video from Chopper 6 showed heavy flames engulfing the structure, which sustained significant damage. Portions of the roof and interior floors collapsed.
Across the street, several homes were also damaged by the fire. Authorities urged residents on the 300 block of North Front Street to evacuate through the rear of their homes because it was too dangerous out front. People in surrounding areas were advised to shelter in place until further notice.
No injuries have been reported.
The building was the former American atelier furniture factory. The company has since moved to another location. Officials said those displaced can seek shelter at Resurrected Life Church at 620 W. Hamilton Street.
Road closures remain in effect as emergency crews continue working in the area. At one point, more than 2,000 PPL customers were without power due to the fire. Power has since started to come back on, but some outages remain.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
With the factory gone and nearby homes damaged, the immediate question shifts from what happened to what happens next—how displaced residents settle in, and how quickly power can fully return as crews keep the area closed and continue investigating the fire’s origin.
Allentown fire 6-alarm blaze North Front Street former furniture factory American atelier Resurrected Life Church shelter PPL power outage evacuations shelter in place