UPDATE: As of 2:40 p.m., scanner reports indicate a section of Rt. 378 near the fire scene in Lower Saucon Township has been closed to traffic in both directions. Lower Saucon Township Police confirmed that the road–a major north-south thoroughfare–is closed between Black River Road and Seidersville Road. Motorists should avoid the area until the fire is under control and the roads reopen.
More than half a dozen volunteer fire companies from the Saucon Valley area and beyond were battling a structure fire at Seidersville Road and Old Philadelphia Pike in Lower Saucon Township early Thursday afternoon.
A three-alarm fire burns in a dwelling at Old Philadelphia Pike and Seidersville Road in Lower Saucon Township on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015.
The fire broke out in a building that’s across the street from Yianni’s Taverna, a popular Greek restaurant whose parking lot has become a makeshift staging area.
As of about 1:30 p.m., flames could still be observed in several of its windows, and smoke was still billowing from the back of the building, reducing visibility on nearby Rt. 378.
Shortly after 2 p.m., Lehigh Valley Breaking News reported on Facebook that evacuation tones had been sounded at the scene, and others reported that crews were backing out of the building due to unsafe structural conditions.
Old Philadelphia Pike remains closed from Rt. 378 to Black River Road, and Seidersville Road from Fire Lane to Rt. 378 also remains closed to traffic.
Fire companies on the scene of the blaze include Se-Wy-Co, Steel City, Dewey, Upper Saucon, Coopersburg, Nancy Run and Springtown.
Dewey Ambulance and Lower Saucon Township Police also responded to the scene.
So far there have been no reports of injuries, although there are reports that several dogs were trapped in the fire.
This is the second major dwelling fire near Lower Saucon’s Rt. 378 corridor in 10 days.
A fire on E. University Avenue that claimed the life of Rodney Stine, 77, on Feb. 9, remains underinvestigation by local police and fire officials.
WATCH EXCLUSIVE VIDEO OF THE FIRE ON SAUCON SOURCE’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
