Allentown, PA – One person has died and five others are missing after a thunderous gas explosion demolished two center city Allentown row homes late Wednesday night and set six neighboring houses ablaze, injuring several residents and forcing more than 600 people from the surrounding city blocks and the Gross Towers senior apartment complex.

The blast occurred about 10:45 p.m. at 544 N. 13th St., owned by Beatrice Hall, 74, and her husband, William, 79. The Halls’ son, Mark Hall of Bethlehem, and his wife were at the scene awaiting word on his parents, his father-in-law said by phone early Thursday.

“The police haven’t given us a status,” the father-in-law said.

Allentown Fire Chief Robert Scheirer confirmed the death this morning. The identity of the deceased hasn’t been released.

Scheirer said during a news conference at about 3 a.m. that two people, ages 74 and 79, were in the demolished house and are missing. In an update an hour later, he said crews are now searching for people missing from three homes on the block of the explosion.

On Thursday morning, windows were observed blown out in many residences and businesses surrounding the blast area.

As of 6:30 a.m. Thursday, Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said there was no information about any fatalities. Shortly before 7 a.m., scanner reports indicated a “recovery operation” had been initiated.

A press conference about the blast was scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Allentown City Hall.

Crews on scene called for the Lehigh County coroner at 4:45 a.m., according to police radio reports, shortly after UGI turned off the gas, smoke began to clear and rescue workers could begin sifting through the debris.

“We’ve found something,” a firefighter radioed.

Allentown woke up Thursday to the acrid odor of smoke that blanketed much of center city overnight. Fire crews worked into their sixth hour in sub-freezing temperatures to tame the blaze and UGI workers scrambled to dig three holes in the ground and cut off gas flow to the area.

The gas leak was under control by 4:30 a.m. and crews began returning residents to portions of the towers. The two houses on the southwest corner of 13th and Allen streets were destroyed and the remaining six houses on the block were a complete loss, Scheirer said.

Mayor Ed Pawlowski, reached by cell phone while on vacation in Florida, confirmed there had been casualties but deferred comment to Scheirer. Asked if he would return early from his vacation, he said, “I’m trying to figure that out now.”

“This is a real tragedy,” Pawlowski said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families.”

David Van Allen, manager of the city’s EMS, said 19 Allentown paramedics were on scene as well as five of the 10 mutual aid companies that originally responded. He said eight people were taken to hospitals with minor injuries, either from the explosion or from being evacuated. He did not know the extent of injury or death closer to the scene.

“We’re in the middle of a mass casualty incident,” Van Allen said.

Jason Soke, who lives at 16th and Tilghman streets, said that as soon as he heard the blast, he ran to the scene. “I was stunned,” he said. “There were bricks everywhere. It blew pieces of the house across the street. I thought, holy cow!”

The smoke from the fire drifted east and inundated the block between 12th and 13th streets.

Donald O’Shall of 536 13th St. said he was in his dining room when there was an explosion and he was hit by a door frame. He went outside into the street, saw the burning building and “at least one person on the second floor was on fire,” he said.

Residents from as far as Bethlehem reported feeling the ground shake.

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(Source: Morning Call)