Volunteer firefighters returned Monday to Parkland View Apartments, Cetronia Road, Upper Macungie Township, to extinguish smoldering embers in the aftermath of the three- alarm fire which destroyed an entire apartment unit the day before.

“We had a rekindle here in a small spot, so we were dispatched for a light smoke condition,” Upper Macungie Fire Commissioner Grant Grim told The Press at the scene.

“We came out, there was a very small area that rekindled. We took care of it and everything’s fine.”

Grim said there was a very quick response on Sunday.

“Station 25, Trexlertown Fire Department, was having a breakfast at the time, and they were all there, so we had response within minutes,” Grim explained. “The wind really beat us up bad and fanned the fire, so we took the roof totally off.”

Volunteer firefighters from Upper Macungie Station 56, and Fogelsville, along with Cetronia Ambulance Corps personnel were also dispatched to the fire around 11:36 a.m. Oct. 9 with Trexlertown Fire Department, Grim told The Press on Tuesday.

He said volunteer fire departments also dispatched on Sunday included Greenawalds, Cetronia and Woodlawn in South Whitehall; Lower Macungie, Alburtis, Topton, Macungie, Catasauqua, North Penn Goodwill Canteen, and Lehigh County Emergency Management.

“The fire was called under control on Sunday around 12:36 p.m.,” Grim said.

He said approximately 75 volunteer firefighters responded on Sunday and about 12 volunteer firefighters from Trexlertown, Upper Macungie Station 56 and Fogelsville returned to the scene Monday when some of the embers rekindled.

Firefighters returned to their stations shortly before noon on Monday.

“At this point, everything is under control,” Grim said, adding the fire remains under investigation but is not suspicious. “Everybody has been wonderful in the community. The KRE (Kushner Real Estate) Group, Parkland View and the Red Cross got housing for 21 people out of the 14 units.”

A resident of apartment N14 on the third floor, who escaped from her apartment the day of the fire, was speaking with insurance agents when the firefighters arrived Monday.

“I was in the bathroom preparing for an interview around 11:45 a.m. Sunday when I smelled burnt rubber and heard a lot of commotion,” said Melissa.

“When I got out of the building, the N5 balcony was engulfed in flames.

“I did not get to recover any of my things. Everything is gone.”

Melissa, who moved into her apartment on Sept. 21, said she was grateful her 7-year-old daughter was not home when the fire broke out.

She was overwhelmed when her daughter’s grade school teacher showed up.

“She asked for my daughter’s clothing size and offered assistance,” Melissa said.

Lexi, Melissa’s co-worker, commented on the compassion shown by the Parkland School District.

“The Parkland School District actually showed up,” Lexi said. “I’ve never seen a school district do that.”

According to the school district in an email to The Press, Director of Student Services Brenda DeRenzo was at the fire as she lives nearby.

“Our heart is extended to those who lost their homes during the fire this past weekend,” said “We had one student who lost her home in the fire, and her school has already shown an outpouring of support with clothing and toys, gift cards and cash collections for the family.

“We strive to inspire a sense of care and concern from the entire community when a tragedy like this occurs, but honestly, the school serves as a hub for logistics.

“Families across this community alongside Parkland staff have demonstrated so much love and support.”

A neighbor from another building at Parkland View, Antionette Wallace-Patterson, commented on the outpouring of support from the community.

According to Wallace-Patterson, upon seeing her neighbors displaced from their homes, she wanted to do something.

“I went to Giant in Trexlertown and they donated three cases of water,” she said. “They also donated a lunch meat and sandwich tray for the residents.

“I live in building C, these people are my neighbors. I felt it was my civic duty to see what I could do.

“These people were outside, they didn’t have anything.”

Support from the community continues to roll in with some people dropping off donations at the Parkland View Apartments office and others contacting the Red Cross.

While the firefighters were on the scene Monday, township resident Jerry Davis and his two daughters, Emily and Ashley, grades five and nine, respectively, arrived with seven bags of clothing to donate.

“We thought it would be nice to do something to help,” said Davis. “It could be our house. It could be anyone’s house.”

Kara Mowbray, regional marketing manager with the American Red Cross Eastern Pennsylvania, emailed The Press on Sunday.

“We are assessing the needs of people/families affected and will provide additional updates as they become available,” Mowbray said.

Grim told The Press on Tuesday, volunteer firefighters were able to take some of the residents into the lower levels of their apartments to gather valuables and personal belongings.

“In other instances, where the families could not be taken inside their apartments, volunteer firefighters went inside to gather their valuables,” he said.

He offered his thanks for the efforts of the volunteer firefighters and to the community.

“Volunteers from all over the county came and assisted us. Everybody worked together and did an excellent job,” Grim said. “All the firefighters did an outstanding job to contain the fire to one building on Sunday.

“I want to thank all of the volunteer fire departments that assisted us on Sunday. “They did a great job. Thanks again.”