A man has been charged in connection with a fire that damaged multiple homes in the 700 block of Cedar Street last evening. According to police documents, Mota Ramirez has been charged with criminal attempt of homicide, a felony, for his intentional attempt to cause the deaths of two individuals, Nohemi Guzman-DeSantos and Niobel Lopez Gutierrez. He is also facing charges of aggravated assault, arson, and reckless endangerment.
The fire spread to approximately six homes, and Ramirez is currently in custody at Lehigh County Jail, with a bail set at $750,000. Police arrived on the scene around 4:20 PM on Thursday and discovered a victim who had been assaulted, showing signs of injury to her face and neck due to the fire. Four firefighters were treated in the hospital for minor injuries, and three individuals were hospitalized, one of whom is in critical condition.
In total, six homes were impacted, and several others lost power. Approximately 30 residents have been displaced, leaving them without shelter. They sought warmth in a nearby bus on Thursday evening. The Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross assisted 12 people affected by this incident.
