ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A fire broke out Friday afternoon at a homeless encampment on Kline Island, renewing concerns about the city’s growing homeless population and the conditions residents face as winter approaches.
Deputy Allentown Fire Chief Matt Eharth said the blaze began around 1:30 p.m. in a wooded area near the Lehigh County Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant.
About 15 firefighters and four pieces of equipment responded, entering the island from Union Street. The site sits between Basin Street and the Lehigh River, near Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
The fire was brought under control within two hours. No injuries were reported, and damage was limited to brush and wooded areas. The cause remains under investigation, but the location — known to officials as a longstanding encampment — has drawn increasing attention as the city works to address homelessness and repeated camp clearances.
A growing concern
The fire comes at a time when Allentown is in the midst of a months-long effort to remove encampments along Jordan Creek and other areas of the city. Since August, city crews have closed at least three major sites, including a large camp north of Tilghman Street where residents estimated that more than 100 people stayed…