Associated Press

A fire rages out of control after a natural gas explosion Wednesday night near the intersection of 13th and Allen Streets in Allentown. Several buildings are involved and one person is dead. At least five other people are still unaccounted for. About 500 to 600 people who were evacuated have been allowed to return home. The fire has been put out, Allentown’s fire chief Robert Scheirer said, but he predicted eight houses will be lost while another 16 will be damaged. The cause of the explosion is still unclear.