Two juveniles have been arrested and charged with arson, conspiracy, recklessly endangering another person, and causing a catastrophe in connection with a six-alarm fire that tore through an empty factory and adjacent homes in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The arrests were announced Friday by Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca. The investigation into the blaze, which erupted Wednesday evening, remains active, and officials have not disclosed the alleged motive.
The fire began shortly before 8:40 p.m. on Wednesday at a long-vacant furniture factory on North Front Street. Within minutes, flames consumed the structure and spread to several occupied homes directly across the street, forcing residents to evacuate. The intense fire sent towering flames and thick black smoke into the night sky, requiring more than 100 firefighters to battle the inferno throughout the night.
At the peak of the emergency, electrical power was cut to thousands of homes and businesses as utility crews worked to secure damaged infrastructure. Firefighters remained on the scene throughout Thursday, with investigators beginning to assess the destruction.
Officials confirmed Friday that 30 adults and six children remain displaced by the fire. The American Red Cross is providing assistance to the affected families. The factory, which had been vacant for years and was already slated for demolition, was completely destroyed.
Authorities have not reported any injuries resulting from the blaze. The surrounding streets were closed by police during the incident, and nearby residents were advised to shelter in place due to the smoke and flames.