Fire damages Hellertown senior living facility
Blaze linked to heating unit forces evacuations
A two-alarm fire Tuesday at a Northampton County senior living facility drew first-responders from three counties and forced the evacuation of nearly 175 people.
Fire broke out about 9:30 a.m. after a heating and air conditioning unit overheated and caught fire in a third-floor residential unit at Saucon Valley Manor, according to Chief Matthew Simkovic of Hellertown’s Dewey Fire Company.
Simkovic said while no one was injured in the fire, emergency personnel transported a few people to a local hospital to be checked for shortness of breath.
Residents were able to return to their rooms later in the day, according to Simkovic and facility owner Abe Atiyeh.
Most damage was limited to the room where it began, Atiyeh said.
“That room is gutted,” he said. “And there’s water damage to the one down below.”
Two other rooms had smoke damage, so at least four units will need to be restored, he said. There are other rooms available in the building for the displaced residents.
Atiyeh praised firefighters and his employees for their fast response.
“We emptied that building out quick,” he said. “Thank God.”
Simkovic agreed. “For how busy we were, and where the fire was located, I thought the evacuation went well,” he said.
Cathy Hartranft, the borough manager, said the fire forced officials to close Main Street in both directions. It reopened about 1:30 p.m. Simkovic said.
Dewey personnel were assisted by firefighters and emergency responders from Lehigh, Northampton and Bucks counties, Simkovic said.
Saucon Valley Manor provides several levels of service, including independent living to memory care.