BY SUSAN BRYANT

sbryant@tnonline.com

An Allentown man sustained third degree burns to a large portion of his body in a massive three-alarm row house fire around 12:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at 783 Mohawk St., Allentown.

According to Allentown Public Affairs Fire Capt. John Christopher, the man had been working outside when he came inside to the lower level of his home to clean up.

“The man was using a flammable product to clean his hands in an unventilated room with a gas water heater when he caught fire,” Christopher said. “As he was running outside on fire he grabbed the product. While he was running outside it was spilling out behind, igniting the fire.”

Christopher added the man is expected to be OK.

One firefighter was transported by ambulance to the hospital for high blood pressure but was released.

Several other firefighters were treated at the scene for exhaustion, Christopher said.

“We do not know who called in the fire, but it was called in as multiply homes on fire,“ Christopher said. “It quickly went to a third alarm within five minutes.”

The cascade unit from Woodlawn Fire Department, South Whitehall, was dispatched at 12:38 p.m., Woodlawn Assistant Fire Chief Chris Mariner told The Press at the scene.

According to Christopher, the homes at 783 and 781 Mohawk St., sustained heavy fire, smoke and water damage.

Three other homes at 777, 779 and 785 Mohawk St., sustained smoke and exterior damage.

He said the fire was ruled an accident.

The fire which could be seen from miles away, drew a huge crowd of onlookers from the surrounding neighborhoods.

Cars were lined up on both sides of Mack Boulevard and Dixon Street as passersby stopped to watch the fire.

In addition to multiply City of Allentown firefighters, police officers and ambulances responding to the fire, PPL Electric, UGI and Stellar Construction, New Tripoli, also assisted.

The American Red Cross is helping 10 adults and four children displaced by the fire, Christopher said.