Fire, Heavy Smoke Send Nazareth Residents Outdoors

Nazareth residents in townhouses and apartments near the busy intersection of Easton Road (Route 248) and S. Broad Street were left waiting in the cold Monday night as three fire departments put out a fire -- and battled heavy smoke -- in a nearby garage rented by .

"I requested three ambulances because I heard 'paint' and 'smoke,' so I figured we might need the extra help," said Mike Rinker, the borough's emergency management coordinator.

One woman received treatment for asthma and said she would be staying overnight at her daughter's home, according to Rinker, and a firefighter reportedly fell and hurt his knee. It was unknown how serious the injury was.

The fire may have been sparked by a van, according to Rinker, but a definite cause had yet to be determined. Firefighters were called out around 7:15 p.m.

Rinker added that he did not believe the fire reached paint that was stored on shelves inside the garage, which is behind the Pizza Hut at the Easton Road - S. Broad Street intersection.

Jay Dingle, who lives in one of the nearby apartments, said he and his wife didn't smell any smoke -- it was the flashing of lights outside that made them realize something had happened.

None of the apartments seemed to be damaged by the fire, but each was being checked for any fire, smoke or water damage. Fans were brought in to help ventilate apartments that filled with smoke. The townhouses and apartments are owned by Orwig Property Management.

Landmark Painting & Wallcoverings, based in Lower Nazareth Township, offers a wide array of painting services including both interior and exterior painting projects for both residential and commercial clientele, according to a Patch listing.

There were no employees at the garage when the fire broke out, Rinker said.

, and all responded.

and an ambulance from Bushkill Township also responded.