Two juveniles charged with arson after Allentown fire

Two juveniles have been arrested on arson and related charges in connection with a massive six-alarm fire that destroyed a vacant commercial building and damaged multiple homes in Allentown, Pennsylvania, last week. The Lehigh County District Attorney's Office announced the arrests on Friday, June 26, 2026.

The fire erupted around 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, in the 300 block of North Front Street, rapidly engulfing the former American Atelier furniture factory. The blaze quickly intensified, drawing a response from over 100 firefighters from multiple jurisdictions who worked late into the night to bring it under control. The extreme heat caused the vacant building, which was slated for redevelopment, to suffer a partial collapse.

The fire's impact extended far beyond the commercial property. Intense radiant heat spread the blaze across the street, damaging eight homes. Six of those homes were destroyed and deemed uninhabitable, while two others sustained damage, displacing seven families. At the peak of the incident, approximately 3,500 homes lost power, though service was gradually restored.

One firefighter sustained a minor injury during the response but is expected to...