LEHIGH COUNTY, PA – Around 7:30 AM on Sunday, October 9, Lehigh County 9-1-1 dispatched Engine Rescue 4041, Engines 3911, 3912, Truck 3631 and EMS Station 62 to 5834 Coplay Road in Whitehall Township for a reported structure fire with entrapment. Chief 3501 responded and was advised that the incident would be located at the Blue Fox Hotel. The initial call was received for a burglar alarm at the facility and a second call was reporting smoke in the building.
A portable unit called on scene within seconds and reported heavy smoke showing from the three story structure which contained a bar on the first floor and two floors of apartments. Whitehall Police were already on scene and found a ladder to throw to the second floor and began rescuing victims. Police were reporting they had multiple people unaccounted for.
Rescue 4041 arrived on the scene and established a water supply from a plug in front of the building. Engine 3911 pulled in directly behind 4041. Lines were stretched and crews began searching for additional victims. When the front door of the business was opened, personnel found a male lying inside the door without pulses.
Police had found one victim on the kitchen roof to the rear of the structure. The patient was immobilized by EMS personnel. Truck 3631 was set up on the B side and put in service to grab the victim off the roof. Multiple other victims self-extricated and were treated by EMS, many were transported to local hospitals.
Squirt 3831 was directed into the A/B corner and put the boom in the air. Crews worked to try to contain the fire but had trouble gaining access to it in the walls and ceilings due to multiple renovations of the building.
After an hour, thick brown smoke began chugging from the third floor. Flames were soon visible from the C/D corner. Crews were then evacuated from the structure.
Elevated master streams were set up and put into operation. The fire in the main portion of the building was darkened down by the master streams but heavy smoke was now seen rising from the kitchen portion. Within minutes the smoke gained intensity and fire was soon blowing through the back of the kitchen and the roof collapsed.
North Catasauqua Engine 1811 was set up in the rear and began knocking down the fire with their deck gun.
Crews continued to work throughout the morning. The fire was finally contained around noon. Units were slowly released from the scene with the last units clearing just after 7 PM.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
