EASTON, Pa. - Authorities marveled Saturday at the heroic actions of firefighters and residents who escaped a blaze Friday at the Hotel Hampton building at 462 Northampton St. in the Downtown area.
Firefighters were on scene within two minutes of the 10:45 a.m. call and found fire in the building's basement and walls, said Fire Chief Henry Hennings at a Saturday morning news conference.
“While that was going on there were multiple victims hanging out of multiple windows on all sides of the building,” Hennings said.
Central Fire Station is across the street, roughly a block away from the Hampton building.
“There’s going to be a significant need for replacement housing. It’s going to be a challenging task.”Peter Brown, Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross
Forty-two of 48 units in the building – it has operated for years as a rooming house – were occupied, Hennings said. All were displaced, and Hennings said “out of an abundance of caution” the Northampton County coroner was on scene Saturday.
While there are no reports of people missing, he said, “we do not have an accurate headcount of people in this building.”
The cause remains under investigation, he said.
Twenty-nine people stayed overnight at a Red Cross shelter established several blocks away at Paxinosa Elementary School, 1221 Northampton St.
Firefighter seriously injured
A full-time Wilson Borough firefighter, Bobby Lewullis, suffered serious injuries.
He fell about 20 feet while climbing down a ladder after escaping heavy dark smoke from a fourth-floor window. Moments later, video showed him on his feet and walking away with the assistance of other firefighters.
He was being treated Saturday for serious injuries at St. Luke’s Anderson campus, officials said.
Prayers and tributes to Lewullis, an Easton Area High School graduate, poured in across social media. His sister, Laura Brotzman, issued gratitude on social media to all who had reached out about Lewullis.
“We as a family appreciate the outpour(ing) of support and love from the community," she said. "He is stable in the ICU and in good spirits. We apologize for any missed messages or calls. Bobby is still in pain and will respond to messages when he feels better. We appreciate the thoughts and prayers immensely.”
Pints & Pies, a Wilson Borough pub, said it will host a fundraiser for Lewullis on Friday, Feb. 27.
Besides Lewullis, Hennings said, three Easton firefighters suffered minor injuries, four citizens were taken to the hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries and an EMS provider suffered smoke inhalation.
Downtown devastation
The fire ruins left a gaping hole in a half-block of Easton near Fifth and Northampton streets and across the street from the State Theatre.
Several buildings near and adjoining the Hotel Hampton site remained off limits and without power. Officials said they were concerned about the potential presence of sinkholes at and around the site.
Officials said the Hotel Hampton building was up to code and had been inspected regularly. They said they were unaware of any code issues.
The Red Cross shelter at Paxinosa Elementary provided displaced residents with food, accommodations, relief supplies and emotional support.
Organizers would likely have to find a new shelter spot after Sunday because of the start of the school week Monday, said Peter Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross.
“There’s going to be a significant need for replacement housing. It’s going to be a challenging task,” Brown said at Saturday’s news conference. “We’ll work with the community to find resources to help put their lives back together.”
Anyone in need of Red Cross assistance should call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
