Smoke in Medical Building Forces Evacuation

A mulch fire pushed smoke into a medical building at 1501 N. Cedar Crest Blvd. in South Whitehall on Wednesday, forcing an evacuation of workers and patients, Chief Rusty Held said.

The two-alarm fire broke out after 9 a.m., Held said, when the outside fire melted a plastic cover along a wall that covered a conduit chase containing electrical wires. The smoke travelled up the chase and pushed into an office.

Held said he called the two-alarm fire right away since the building is a medical facility. He said the facility personnel did a good job evacuating workers and patients. They were outside the building about 45 minutes, he said.

According to web directories, Eastern Pennsylvania Gastroenterology & Liver Specialists, and Patriot Bank are among the businesses located in the building.