Five Firefighters Injured in Raging Pa. Restaurant Fire

Jan. 22--A multi-alarm fire destroyed Youell's Oyster House restaurant in the west end of Allentown early Tuesday as firefighters struggled against sub-freezing temperatures and raging flames.

Five firefighters were taken to local hospitals with injuries.

Two firefighters who entered the burning structure at 2249 W. Walnut St. suffered burns and were treated and released from St. Luke's Hospital-Allentown. Two other firefighters were injured when an exterior wall partially collapsed on them, and one firefighter slipped on the ice rushing to their aid.

Capt. John Christopher said those three firefighters are being treated at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest and are expected to be released.

A passerby reported the fire at 4:17 a.m., and firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the two-story building, Assistant Chief Lee Laubach said.

The 1800s-era building, located in a residential neighborhood just south of Hamilton Street off S. 23rd Street, has served as a restaurant for several decades. Youell's Oyster House, which was founded in Easton in 1905, opened in the location 20 years ago.

Firefighters battled not only flames but frigid temperatures, which dropped to be low 20 degrees and turned the water sprayed onto the building into a layer of ice on sidewalks, roads and the building.

One firefighter suffered burns to his forehead after entering the kitchen area of the restaurant for the second time. Laubach said he was treated and released from the hospital. A second firefighter who entered the building suffered minor burns to his neck and ears.

An exterior wall along W. Walnut Street collapsed under the weight of the roof about 7 a.m., Laubach said.

The stucco-covered brick and glass from windows rained down on two firefighters, one of whom injured a knee as he fell against the ground and the other suffered cuts to his face.

Firefighters had difficulty fighting the fire because it was too dangerous to climb onto the roof because of the ice, Laubach said.

Flames could be seen rolling through the third floor of the building while firefighters on an aerial ladder sprayed water through a third-floor window. Most of the second floor collapsed into the building, and heavy equipment will be brought in to bring down the rest of the structure so the fire can be fully extinguished.

Laubach said the cause is not known, but it appears to have started on the first floor. Although the building includes a second-floor apartment, it was not occupied and no one was in the building when the fire started.

The city's fire department had a full response and fire departments in neighboring communities were put on standby. Nancy Run fire department from Bethlehem Township set up a canteen, and the American Red Cross of the Lehigh Valley also arrived about 6:30 a.m.

Youell's opened their Allentown restaurant in 1992 after previously serving patrons in Easton since 1905. The building in the West End dates back to the 1800's.

Morning Call online producer Stephanie Sigafoos contributed to this report.