HISTORY
OF THE
PAULSBORO
FIRE DEPT.
FIRES
&
RELATED
ITEMS
1915-2005
1
1915
1/21/1915
CHIEF MAKES APPOINTMENTS. Chief Joseph Paul has appointed the fireman of his
company to their respective positions.
2/09/1915
COUNCIL MEETING TO DISCUSS NEW TRUCKS. At a Council meeting, Councilman
Struthers reported on meeting with the fire companies committees, and said that they would like
the Borough’s assistance in securing two new auto fire apparatus’s, one for each company. He
reported that the present fire fighting apparatus was in very poor condition and Struthers stated
that this asked for improvement would have a great bearing on getting a reduced fire insurance
rate in the Borough. Another meeting will take place in the near future.
2/12/1915
BARN FIRE. Both fire companies were called out when fire was discovered in the barn on the
rear of the property occupied by Earl Parker, on Billings Avenue. Both companies responded but
found that the building could not be saved. Mr. Parker will have a new one built.
2/14/1915
CHIMNEY CAUSES HOUSE FIRE. The Paulsboro Fire Co. was called out, during the
afternoon, to extinguish a fire which had started in the chimney of the house occupied by Mathew
Bundens on the corner of Washington and Spruce Streets. The fire was soon under control and
little damage was done.
2/18/1915
LETTER FROM EDITOR. “The proposition of purchasing two automobile fire engines should
be knocked into a cocked hat say the heavy property owners. Probably most of the citizens are
ignorant of the fact that these next two years will be strenuous on the taxpayer. Among the many
improvements, which our Borough Fathers will have to look after, will be the purchasing of a
gasholder, generator and engine, at the cost of $15,000, the erection of another schoolhouse at
$10,000 and many minor outlays. With our present tax rate of over $2.00 and with an expenditure
of $50,000 more, we could not look for less than a $2.50 rate next year. It is the earnest wish of
the taxpayer that Council at its meeting next Tuesday evening will turn a deaf ear to the appeal of
the handful of people who only pay one dollar poll tax and who delight in having the borough
bonded for something that is not needed.”
2/25/1915
CHIMNEY FIRE IN BILLINGSPORT. Also, last week, both fire companies were called out to
extinguish a fire in the chimney of Lowrie Booty’s house, on Billings Avenue. No serious damage
was done as the fire was put out quickly.
4/11/1915
LIGHTNING STARTS FIRE, KILLS CAT. During an afternoon storm, lightning struck the
home of Joseph Brammell, along the riverfront and set fire to a chest on the second floor and
killed a cat which was in the same room with some of the family members. This is the 3 rd time that
the house has been struck within the last few years.
4/13/1915
COUNCIL TO TAKE APPARATUS. A communication was read at the Council meeting from
the Paulsboro Fire Co. offering to house the fire apparatus under a 2-year agreement, with Council
having charge of the apparatus
4/23/1915
FIREMEN PREVENT FIRE. The fire companies were called out on Friday when it was feared
that the carriage factory of I. C. Cox might catch fire from a brush heap that was burning. Neither
fire company was called into action.
6/03/1915
BOAT BURNS. The “Charlotte”, a large cabin cruiser, caught fire after an engine exploded
during the afternoon at Billingsport and burned to the keel.
10/28/1915
BARN FIRE. A slight fire in the barn of Michael Benedict called out the fire companies last
Friday.
11/25/1915
2
FIRE CO. PREPARES TO HOUSE NEW APPARATUS. The firemen are preparing for a gala
day on December 4th, when both Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Company’s will house their new
automobile fire apparatus. Each fire company in Gloucester County has been invited to be present
and help make the greatest day this old town has ever seen. Prizes have been secured and will be
given to the various fire companies who take part. The home companies will not be eligible for
any of the prizes.
12/1/1915
READY FOR PARADE. Everything is in readiness for the housing of the two new automobile
fire apparatus’s on the 4th. The firemen intend on making that day a red-letter day for the Borough.
An elaborate program has been arranged which will consume the afternoon and evening. The
program as arranged constitutes a large parade, which will start promptly at two o’clock and in
which fourteen fire companies from the county will participate. At three o’clock the presentation
exercises will take place. Councilman E. A. Struthers will present the engines on behalf of the
Borough to J. Paul Miller and Charles Magee, presidents of the Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire
Companies. An address, a band concert and singing will also be part of the program. In the
evening the fire companies will have open house at their headquarters.
The new fire engines were pressed into service when fire was discovered in a chimney at the home
of John Densden. Both companies responded with their new trucks and did good service, although
it is said the Billingsport Fire Co. came very near not getting there.
1916
1/18/1916
SMALL FIRE IN CHURCH. At midnight, Reverend S. Applegate found the chimney of the M.
E. Parsonage was on fire and at once called his neighbor and fireman Squire Cowgill. The fire was
extinguished without any serious loss.
1/19/1916
HOUSE BURNS TO GROUND. Around 1:30 in the morning the fire alarm was turned in and
the Paulsboro Fire Company, with their new auto fire apparatus, hurried to the home of Samuel
Clement on Billingsport Road. The fire had gained such a great headway that it burned to the
ground. Clement, who escaped with several burns, supposes that an overheated stove set fire to the
woodwork. Billingsport Fire Co. also responded.
2/28/1916
BARN BURNS DOWN. Just before midnight, the barn and outbuildings on the farm occupied by
Charles Magowan, near Paradise Station Road, were consumed by fire. Mr. Magowan lives on the
widely known “pear” farm, and right on the edge of the creek. He was awakened by the reflection
of the flames, and looking out; he saw that the barn was ablaze. The fire had gained such headway
that it was impossible to save anything. Even the stock could not be rescued, as five cows, two
mules, valued at $460, 150 chickens and a goat perished. A large stock of wagons, implements,
hay and other things were burned up. The origin of fire is unknown. The loss is estimated at
$2500. Mr. Magowan is well known having held several horse sales last year.
4/12/1916
FIRE PLUGS TO BE INSTALLED. At the council meeting, Mr. Struthers moved that a fireplug
be placed on Buck Street. Mr. Lodge then moved that one also be placed on Beacon Avenue near
the Casselberry farm.
6/08/1916
SMALL DAMGE DONE BY FIRE. A fire in one of Mrs. Waisbain’s houses at the entrance to
Lincoln Park brought out both fire companies last Saturday evening. The fire was put out before
much damage had been done.
6/15/1916
EXPLOSION AT PAINT CO. An explosion followed by an outburst of fire, which covered the
whole building, caused considerable damage to the Harrison Paint Co. plant on Tuesday evening
at 10 p.m. Both fire companies were called out.
8/16/1916
FIRE AND BAND. A slight fire broke out in the Harwick Blacksmith shop on S. Delaware
Street. The local fire companies put it out quickly.
The PVFA #1 is organizing a brass band to play at their fair.
3
8/31/1916
TWO FIRES. The fire companies were called out to extinguish a dump fire on O’hara’s farm on
Clarksboro Road. Both companies also were called out to a fire at the Harrison Paint Co., on
Mantua Road, to extinguish a fire in the powerhouse.
9/14/1916
LADIES AND FIRE. The ladies auxiliary of the PVFA is making preparations for the Halloween
Ball. A slight fire occurred at the Harrison Paint Co. but the fire companies were not needed when
they arrived.
10/19/1916
FIREMEN ATTEND CHURCH SERVICES. Both fire companies attended the evening service
at the M. E. Church. Dr. Steadman Applegate preached an appropriate sermon.
10/20/1916
LARGE FIRE AT I. P. THOMAS. (See Large Article Section)
10/26/1916
SMALL FIRE IN HOME. At 4am the fire companies were called to extinguish a blaze in the
home of Joseph Bailey. The fire was quickly put out and no damage was done.
11/9/1916
BROKEN CHIMNEY CAUSES FIRE. Fire was discovered in Al Brown’s house on Saturday
and both fire companies were called out. The fire originated from a broken chimney crack and ran
up a partition to the roof. The quick response and excellent work of the firemen soon extinguished
the blaze. Loss is $125.
11/16/1916
FIRE IN CELLAR. On Sunday am, both fire companies were called out to extinguish a fire at
the home of Charles Rickford at 3rd and Greenwich. The fire originated in the cellar, caused by a
wooden girder coming into contact with the chimney. Quick action by the fire companies kept
damage light.
11/23/1916
FIRE CO. ASKS FOR HOSE AND PARADE OK. A letter was read on the council floor from
the Paulsboro Fire Co. asking for 500 feet of hose and permission to take the truck to a parade in
Swedesboro. Both were okayed by Public Safety.
12/07/1916
FIRE IN LOCK’S LIVERY STABLE. Early in the morning Lock’s livery stables caught fire.
People living in the rear of the stables, having made a low fire in the yard and not watching it
caused the fire. The dry grass took fire and burned up to the stable and quickly caught to the
building. At the time there were eight horses and mules in the building, along with wagons,
harness and other things. These were quickly gotten out of the building, although one mule was
badly burned. The fire was extinguished without doing much damage.
12/09/1916
FIRE ON CAPITOL ST. Both fire companies were called out to extinguish a blaze in a
dwelling, owned by P. Benevento, on Capitol Street. The fire started in the attic, but was put out
before much serious damage was done.
12/11/1916
BARNS & HORSES DESTROYED BY FIRE. (See Large Article Section)
1917
2/15/1917
HOT HOUSE FIRE ON FARM. Harry Brammell’s hot house, on his farm near here, caught fire
on Saturday evening and burned one corner out before it could be put out. An overheated stove
caused fire.
3/16/1917
SMALL GROCERY STORE FIRE. The fire companies extinguished a blaze in the Child’s
grocery store. Little damage was done.
3/21/1917
MAYOR SWEARS IN MEMBERS. Mayor Doolittle swore in all adult members of both fire
companies so that Paulsboro will have 80 – 90 special police that can be called in if needed.
3/22/1917
4
GRASS FIRES. The fire companies were called out to put out grass fires near the gas plant and
the oil works.
3/26/1917
TWO GRASS FIRES. Around 4 o’clock this afternoon the fire alarm was sounded when the
grass in Lincoln Park was discovered on fire. The high winds swept the flames across the park and
the firemen had to fight to save the small buildings in the park and on the Joseph Brammell
property. When the fire engines were returning to their firehouses, a second alarm was sent in.
This time the grass around the Shuster farmhouse was on fire, but was soon under control.
3/27/1917
CHIMNEY FIRE. Both fire companies responded, about noon, when fire was discovered in a
chimney in the home of Mr. Myers on Mantua Avenue. The fire was soon under control and little
damage was done.
4/5/1917
SMALL FIRE. A slight fire in the outbuilding on the McLeary property, along the riverfront,
called out both fire companies. The flames were extinguished and the loss was trifling.
4/19/1917
MEAT STORE FIRE. Around 1:30 this morning, the fire companies were called out to
extinguish a blaze in the meat and grocery store of Michael Bendak on the corner of Spruce and
Buck Streets. The fire destroyed the stock in the store and also damaged the kitchen. The lower
floor of the building, with the exception of the parlor, was considerably damaged. Neighbors
rescued the owner of the building, John Kibert and family. The firemen worked hard and saved the
surrounding properties. A stove possibly caused the fire.
5/22/1917
NEW PLACES FOR FIRE SIRENS. At the council meeting it was reported that the tower on
Lock’s livery stable was not strong enough to hold the horn and motor of the electric siren. It was
recommended that a steel tower be built at Quincy Street near the railroad. Mr. Paul was instructed
to procure a tower and three alarm boxes, one to be placed at Broad and Delaware, one at the
tower and one at the corner of Broad and Billingsport Rd.
6/16/1917
FIRE CO. CALLED OUT FOR RIOT. The local fire companies were called out for the first
time for a riot at Lincoln Park. The park, which is most frequented by booze parties and the
clubhouse element, is becoming an eyesore to Paulsboro under the lax management this year.
7/27/1917
FIRE SIREN PLACED AND TESTED. The new fire siren was set in place and tested on
Friday. This will make a much better alarm system then the old hoop and hammer.
11/11/1917
FIRE IN THOROFARE. A fire alarm came in from Thorofare when Mr. Wilkin’s store was on
fire. Both fire companies responded, showing that they are always ready to help those in need.
1918
5/08/1918
PAULSBORO HAS ANOTHER FIRE SCARE. A savage fire broke out in the barn of Samuel
Haines, in the rear of his harness shop on Broad St., about 11:30 this morning. The fire seriously
threatened the commerce section of the town because of the high winds that were blowing. The
fire companies responded promptly and had the flames under control in a half-hour, though great
showers of sparks and flying embers were blowing about. Willing hands got out the cows and
horses, but a calf was burned so badly that it had to be destroyed. Several autos in adjoining
garages were taken to places of safety. At one time it was thought to be necessary to send for
Woodbury’s help, but Chief Joseph Paul believed his men could handle it, and by heroic work
they conquered. The roofs of the Gill building, opposite Hohlweg’s hotel, caught fire several
times, but the firemen managed to keep putting the fire out and from spreading. The loss is placed
at $1500.
8/19/1918
HOME DESTROYED BY GAS EXPLOSION. The home of William Wilson, a farmer residing
½ mile below Paulsboro, and its contents, was destroyed by fire early this morning when a
gasoline stove exploded in the kitchen. The Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Companies were sent
for shortly after 5 o’clock. They did not arrive on the scene until after 6 o’clock owing to the
services rendered by an inefficient operator. The house is covered by insurance.
5
9/07/1918
BOAT CATCHES FIRE IN CREEK. Both fire companies responded to the call for help when
the patrol boat G. W. McKeever, from Hog Island, was discovered afire in the Mantua Creek on
Saturday afternoon. After hard fighting the fire was brought under control and the badly damaged
boat was towed back to the island from which it came from.
9/27/1918
STILL EXPLODES AT OIL WORKS. Both fire companies were called to a fire at the Oil
Works on Friday night when one of the large stills exploded. A large portion of the plant was
threatened to be destroyed. The Billingsport Company was the only one of the local companies to
go into service.
10/05/1918
SMOKE CAUSES EXCITEMENT AT PLANT. Large clouds of black smoke rising from the
gas plant on Saturday afternoon caused quite a lot of excitement. It was found to be the tar pit on
fire. Both fire companies responded, but stood by as the fire burned itself out.
11/17/1918
BARN NEAR LINCOLN AVENUE BURNS. Both fire companies answered the alarm when the
barn on the old Shuster property, near Lincoln Avenue, was discovered on fire Sunday afternoon.
The barn was a mass flames when the fire companies arrived, but a crib house and the house
nearby were saved
11/26/1918
FIREMEN SAVE HOME FROM FIRE. The home of Antonio Gampo, on the road leading
from Paulsboro to Clarksboro, was saved from destruction by fire by the members of the
Paulsboro Fire Company around eight o’clock this evening. The family was away from home at
the time of the fire, which originated in the rear of the house, and was seen by neighbors who
telephoned to the local company for assistance. The firemen responded quickly and extinguished
the flames, which were gaining headway, with their chemical apparatus. The Billingsport Fire
Company also responded but did not go into service.
12/1/1918
NEW FIRE HOSE AND TABLE. The borough council has bought the fire companies 500 feet
of new fire hose. The Paulsboro Fire Company has installed a new pool table in their firehouse.
1919
3/01/1919
HAPPENINGS AT THE FIREHOUSE. About a ton of coal has been stolen from the Paulsboro
Firehouse during the past week. One morning a bed, made from blankets taken from the engine,
was found on the floor.
4/18/1919
COUNTY FIRE ASSOC. MEETS AT PAULSBORO. The April meeting of the County
Firemen’s Association was held at the Paulsboro firehouse. About 75 delegates from nearly all the
companies in the county were present. Chief Joseph M. Paul of the host company welcomed the
delegates. Chief Paul believed it would be a good thing to have a law passed compelling each
household to have ample fire extinguishers about the premises, as it would undoubtedly prevent
much loss and need for fire companies. The visiting firemen were invited to test the prowess of the
Paulsboro Ladies Auxiliary in the culinary art, which cannot be excelled, after the meeting.
5/12/1919
SMALL BUILDING BURNS DOWN. A small building used as a wash house on the farm of
Richard Davis, on the Paulsboro to Thorofare road, caught fire around noontime and was burned
to the ground. The Thorofare and Paulsboro fire companies responded and gave their attention to
saving the dwelling house, which was but a few feet from the burning building. In the bedroom
near the burning building was the son William, who was very sick with pneumonia. The shutters
of the bedroom windows were closed in order to keep out the heat and to lessen his anxiety. An
overheated pipe caused the fire from the boiler, which came into contact with the frame building.
6/25/1919
FIRE AT BEN PAUL’S HOUSE. A fire which might have been of serious importance occurred
at the home of Ben Paul, President of the Water Company, this morning. The two local fire
companies responded immediately and confined the fire to the kitchen, where it started from a gas
stove.
8/26/1919
6
DOORS INSTALLED AT FIREHOUSE. Two new sets of doors, equipped with opening
devices, are being placed on the local firehouses.
9/15/1919
FIRE CAUSES LOT OF DAMAGE. A fire, which originated in a closet on the second floor of
the home of Milton B. Downing, on Madison Street, shortly after 9pm, threatened to destroy the
house. Members of both of the local fire companies worked hard for more than an hour before
they were successful in checking the flames. Just what started the fire is unknown as there was no
one at home at the time and the fire was not discovered until the second floor was in flames. The
fire companies responded promptly to the alarm, which was sent in, and it was not long before a
dozen streams of water were being played on the burning building. The house furnishings were
totally destroyed.
9/22/1919
BOAT CATCHES FIRE. A fire practically destroyed the truck boat Arrow, belonging to
Schmidt and Yandach, during the afternoon. It is reported an overturned-lighted lantern caused the
fire. Both fire companies were called out and fought valiantly. A section was roped off along the
Mantua Creek. One hundred and fifty gallons of gasoline on the boat added to the danger of the
firemen and spectators. Mr. Yandach is in Atlantic City and does not know of his loss.
12/11/1919
FIRE AT RAILROAD STATION. On Thursday night the railroad station ticket office was
found to be on fire. An alarm was turned in to which both fire companies responded and soon had
the fire under control. The damage was not great, though had it burned a few minutes longer there
might have been a chance of Paulsboro getting a much-needed newer station.
12/23/1919
TWO FIRES. Two slight fires occurred in dwelling houses on Washington and Delaware Streets.
They were extinguished with the help of the firemen with but slight damages.
12/30/1919
BIG FIRE AT I. P. THOMAS WORKS. A fire around midnight caused several thousand dollars
worth of damage at the fertilizing plant of I. P. Thomas Company located along the riverfront.
During the fire there were several explosions similar to those during the fire of a few years ago. As
in the former fire, the sky for a number of miles around was lit up. On account of the fire bell rope
not working properly, there were but a few firemen to go with the apparatus from Paulsboro, but
others, who were roused by the boat whistles, responded later. Members of the Thorofare Fire
Company started for the scene, but when they learned it was the fertilizing plant, they abandoned
the trip, as they would have been useless in fighting the fire in which there was such a quantity of
chemicals.
1920
1/14/1920
STOVE CAUSED HOUSE FIRE ON PENN LINE AVENUE. The fire companies were called
Wednesday morning around 9 o’clock to extinguish a fire at the home of William Weaver on Penn
Line Avenue. The fire was caused by an overheated stove and was rapidly making headway when
discovered by Samuel Nelly, who gave the alarm. The firemen soon responded and had the blaze
under control with little damage.
2/05/1920
SIREN FIXED & GRASS FIRE. The fire siren has been repaired and is now ready for use. Also,
the fire companies were called out for a small fire at the gas plant Saturday afternoon. Little
damage was done.
3/23/1920
TANK AT VACUUM OIL EXPLODES. About 6:45 last evening the report of an explosion was
heard in this vicinity, and naturally all eyes were turned toward the powder plant in Gibbstown. It
wasn’t long, however, before it was learned that an oil tank had exploded at the Vacuum Oil plant,
Paulsboro, and the flames and smoke could be seen going skyward, and they continued to do so all
night. Firemen from Paulsboro, Gibbstown and the oil company lost no time in getting at the scene
soon after the fire had started, and put their efforts into preventing it from spreading. When the
blaze reached its height, oil was boiling over the rim of the tank. Trees, tanks, telephone poles, and
the like were saturated with water, and nothing but the tank, containing 45,000 barrels of crude oil,
and a nearby shack were lost. People gathered from miles around to witness the sight as the flames
leaped high into the air. At one time, those standing in the fields were given quite a scare as the
wind shifted, and they were compelled to run to get to a place of safety.
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4/07/1920
TWO FIRES. Both fire companies were called out twice as a fire at the gas plant was reported
and a grass fire near James Devault’s property called them out again.
5/09/1920
LAMSON LOSES BARN TO FIRE. Harry Lamson suffered another loss by fire when a large
barn in the rear of his express office building burned, Sunday around 4 am, with its contents,
including a large auto truck which was used to carry express to and from Philadelphia. For a time
the surrounding buildings were in danger, but the local fire companies extinguished the fire,
though a small building in the rear of the property, and occupied by Earl Simpson, was damaged.
The fire companies responded promptly but the fire had gotten such a good start that it was
impossible to save the building. Gibbstown could see the blaze, which was fierce for a time, and
their fire company also responded. This is the third fire to occur on Mr. Lamson’s property within
two months, all of which are suspected of being incendiary in origin.
8/13/1920
WIRES CAUSE PORCH FIRE. On Friday night the fire companies were called out for a fire at
the residence of Charles Hausman. The front awning of his house was destroyed by fire and the
porch was also badly burned. The fire is believed to have been caused by some faulty electrical
wires.
9/03/1920
BUILDING BURNS DOWN. A large frame building on the Fuller property, near the oil works
was burned down.
11/07/1920
TWO HOUSE FIRES, MAN ARRESTED. The fire companies were kept quite busy with
putting out fires. Their first run was to the home of Harry Schumann, at Billingsport, shortly
before noon where they subdued a stubborn fire between the walls, which was caused by a
chimney. The second alarm was received shortly after 4 o’clock in the afternoon when the row of
dwelling houses owned by Leonard Pratz was discovered on fire. The Paulsboro Company was the
first to arrive on the scene and they fought hard for more than an hour before they finally
conquered the flames. Colored families occupy the houses and the fire is said to have been started
by Henry Jackson, who occupies one of the houses and was said to be drunk. The houses occupied
the site of the old Pratz bowling alleys, which were destroyed by fire a few years ago, and which
gave the town the greatest fire scare it ever had in its history. Neighbors lodged a complaint
against Jackson, and Justice Vanneman who charged him with starting the fire, committed him to
jail. The firemen are a live bunch who doesn’t seem to mind a little work, although very little
thanks are given to them for their service.
1921
1/01/1921
BUTCHER SHOP FIRE. The fire companies were called out to extinguish a slight fire in
Brickman’s butcher shop around 7 am.
1/13/1921
FIRE SIREN REPAIRED. Munyon the electrician is repairing the electric fire siren.
3/28/1921
FIRE AT GAS PLANT. A fire at the gas plant called out both fire companies during the
afternoon but little damage was done.
5/11/1921
THREE HOUSES DESTROYED BY FIRE. A fire around 10 o’clock p.m. destroyed three
houses and damaged a fourth in what was formerly Germania Park, along the riverfront at
Billingsport. How the fire originated is not known, but is said to have possibly started in a house
where there was a liquor still. Liquor appeared to be plentiful at the scene of the fire as a number
were seen with the wet goods or the after taking effects. Fire companies from surrounding towns
responded.
8/16/1921
HOME DESTROYED BY FIRE. This morning around 1:30, the 2 ½ story frame dwelling
occupied by Charles Gattuso was destroyed by fire together with the household goods of the
Gattuso family. The family was asleep and awoke to find the house ablaze. They hurriedly made
their escape saving just a few articles. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies’ responded
but little service could be given as the house is outside the fire district and no water mains are
8
within reach. The house was located on the Billingsport – Swedesboro road, opposite the Vacum
Oil plant and was owned by the oil company.
9/27/1921
BUNGALOW DAMAGED BY FIRE. The bungalow of William Gaynor, of Beacon Avenue,
was damaged to the extent of $1500 by fire and water. Fire was discovered around 1pm in the attic
of the bungalow and an alarm was sent in. Both fire companies responded and soon had the fire
under control and kept it from spreading to the lower floors. Neighbors helped carry the furniture
and household goods from the house. It is thought that the fire was the result of mice and matches,
as in a drawer of a stand in the attic; there was evidence, which would lead to that conclusion.
10/10/1921
SMALL DAMAGE DONE BY FIRE. The fire companies were called when one of the W. G.
Thompson houses, on Jefferson Street, was discovered on fire. The family occupying the house
was out at the time of the fire. The fire was gotten under control by a neighbor by the time the
firemen arrived.
11/30/1921
COUNCIL AND FIREMEN DEBATE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT. The public meeting
held by Paul Ireland, John Vanneman and Dr. M. Doolittle, the Public Safety Committee of the
Borough Council, to ascertain the sentiment of the taxpayers on the purchase of two fire pumping
engines, drew an exceptionally large crowd at Liberty Hall last evening. Long before the opening
hour, the hall was jammed to the doors and seating capacity was at a premium. The members of
the Safety Committee, who stated that a committee from the Paulsboro Fire Company had waited
on Council in view of having that body purchase pumping apparatus, opened the meeting. The
matter had been handed to the committee, but as members of the committee did not feel disposed
to expend such an amount of the people’s money without the sentiment of the taxpayers, it was
decided to call a public meeting. It was here that those in favor of the proposition and those
opposed would have an opportunity to have their say, and that the committee would abide by the
decision of the meeting. From this point the committee sat at ease and listened to those who spoke.
Dr. Henry Sinexon, Chief of the Paulsboro Fire Company, was the first speaker and outlined the
proposition in a credible manner. The chief had spent some time compiling facts and figures and
showed where the costs of two pumps and an alarm system would add 13 cents per hundred to the
tax rate. His figures were disputed by several from the opposite side, but when he extended a
challenge to any person in the room to prove what he stated was not true, he took the “wind out of
the sail” of several people. One prominent gentleman figured that the tax rate would increase by
87 cents per hundred. Chief Pfeiffer, of the Billingsport Fire Company, spoke in favor of the
proposition, and stated that the membership of his company had split on the proposition and many
were present at the meeting to vote it down. He stated that the Billingsport firemen, who are
opposed, desire to purchase their own apparatus. The matter was thoroughly discussed, and a
motion to purchase two pumpers was voted down by a large majority. A motion was then made to
purchase one pumper and install an alarm system. This motion was carried. As is customary with
all public meetings in Paulsboro, several availed themselves of an opportunity to “sling mud”
instead of speaking on the topic of the hour.
1922
1/24/1922
SMALL FIRE. A slight blaze called out the fire companies to the gas plant around 6 o’clock in
the evening.
2/16/1922
PULL BOXES INSTALLED. Pull boxes have been installed at both firehouses and at
McCorkell’s garage. The latter place is very convenient, as it is open all the time.
4/24/1922
FIRE AT RIVERSIDE HOTEL. Both fire companies responded to an alarm at 6:10 p.m. to
extinguish a blaze in the Riverside Hotel owned and operated by George Benners, at the riverfront.
It is supposed that a crossed wire caused the flames, which were confined to the roof. The loss is
about $1500.
5/09/1922
GARAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE. A garage in the rear of the Sapp property, on Buck Street,
was discovered on fire in the afternoon. The car belonging to Mr. Zeff was gotten out, but the
garage was totally destroyed. A number of surrounding houses had holes burned into their roofs
by flying embers.
9
5/22/1922
BILLINGSPORT RECEIVES NEW FIRE TRUCK: The Billingsport Fire Company received
its new Seagrave Fire Apparatus. It was shortly thereafter tested by the Underwriters. The cost of
the truck was $11,000.
8/10/1922
FIRE AT BOARDING HOUSE. The fire companies were called out around 4 o’clock p.m. to
extinguish a fire at Bauman’s boarding house on Thomas Lane.
9/15/1922
EXEMPT ORGANIZATION ORGANIZED. At a meeting of exempt firemen, held at
Cowgill’s Hall, the Association of Exempt Firemen of the Borough of Paulsboro was organized.
Articles of Incorporation have been filed in the clerk’s office of the County Clerk. Officers elected
were: President, H. Smedley; Vice President, W. Turner; Secretary, Walter C. Thomson,
Treasurer, J. Carter; Trustees, I.Stiles; C. Thompson; G. Hannold.
10/29/1922
BARN BURNS, ANIMALS SAVED. Fire, shortly before 7 o’clock in the morning, was noticed
in the haymow of the large barn of Joseph Bramell Jr., on Paulsboro – Swedesboro Road. An
alarm was sent to the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies. Both companies responded but
the fire had gotten beyond the control of the chemicals of the fire apparatus and there was no
supply of water to draw from as the wells had gone dry. With help, Mr. Brammell was able to take
his five horses and five cows from the burning barn to a place of safety. There was about 80 tons
of hay in the mow, and this, together with the barn, several sets of harnesses, and other
implements were destroyed. Mr. Bramell has a farm of about 90 acres. Origin of the fire is
unknown. The loss totaled around $1000.
12/17/1922
TRAIN HOLDS UP FIRE TRUCK. Chief Pfeiffer of the Billingsport Company reported that a
train held up the Seagraves fire truck in route to a fire. He sent a letter to the railroad director to
come up with a better solution so as not to block the fire trucks.
1923
1/24/1923
CHIMNEY FIRE. A fire in the chimney of Maurice Armbruster, on Beacon Avenue, called out
the fire companies around 7 o’clock in the morning. The blaze was soon extinguished with little
damage done.
2/01/1923
LADIES ENTERTAIN LADIES. The Ladies of the Billingsport Fire Company entertained the
Ladies Auxiliary of the PVFA. The PVFA ladies will be giving a Valentines Day social on
February 14th.
2/25/1923
FIRE WATER DAMAGES HOUSE. A fire at the home of Mary Reeves, on Washington Street,
called out the fire companies during the evening. The blaze was extinguished, but the water did
quite a lot of damage.
2/28/1923
FIRE IN MT. ROYAL. The fire siren called out the companies in the morning, but they turned
back when they learned that a boathouse was on fire in Mount Royal, and that it could not be
saved. No other property was in danger also.
4/04/1923
LADIES. The PVFA ladies returned the favor and entertained the BVFA ladies to a dinner.
4/05/1923
GRASS FIRE THREATENS PLANT. The fire companies were called out to extinguish a large
grass fire, which threatened the I. P. Thomas Co.
5/04/1923
FIRE IN MT. ROYAL. Both fire companies responded, to assist the local fire company, for a
large fire in Mount Royal. The fire was large enough that it threatened the whole town.
5/22/1923
THREE HOUSES DESTROYED BY FIRE. Three small frame bungalows on the Fiedler
property, on Clonmell Road, near the Vacum Oil plant, were destroyed by fire around 11 o’clock
in the morning. The buildings were owned by Albert Leonard and occupied by employees of the
oil works. The fire is supposed to have started by an oil stove exploding.
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6/16/1923
CAR WRECKED BY FIRE. A car in McCorkell’s garage caught fire and the local fire
companies were called out to extinguish the blaze. The car, a Lexington, was completely
destroyed.
6/21/1923
COUNCIL TO PURCHASE TRUCK. At the recent council meeting, $10,000 was appropriated
to purchase a new fire truck for the Paulsboro Fire Company. Bonds will be issued to pay for the
apparatus. The Paulsboro Fire Company is having a new roof put on their firehouse.
7/01/1923
HOUSE FIRE, LITTLE DAMAGE. A fire on the 3rd floor of Charles Henry’s house, on
Madison Street, called out the fire companies around midnight. The fire was soon extinguished
and little damage was done.
11/16/1923
LARGE GRASS FIRE THREATENS HOME. The Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Companies
responded to a fire alarm call at the west end of the Borough. A field at the end of town adjoining
Mr. Smallwood’s farm had caught fire from the sparks from a railroad engine. By the time the
firemen arrived the fire was spreading fast and raging. The firemen soon had the fire under
control, but none too soon, as property near the house was about to catch fire. No real damage was
done.
12/04/1923
TRUCK CATCHES FIRE. The auto – truck belonging to Walter Stetser caught fire on the road
just outside of Paulsboro, early in the morning. The Paulsboro Fire Company was called to
extinguish the flames. Quite a lot of damage was done to the car.
12/20/1923
HOUSE FIRE. The fire companies were called to extinguish a blaze in the Miller house on
Swedesboro Avenue in Paulsboro.
1924
2/12/1924
BOROUGH FIRE CHIEF ORDINANCE. The ordinance creating the office of a Borough Fire
Chief was taken up and after being read for the third time was adopted. On motion of Mr. Lodge,
the clerk was instructed to communicate with each of the fire companies advising them that the
ordinance has been adopted and to request that the firemen comply with the ordinance. Also, a
general discussion on fire fighting was held and many interested citizens were granted the
privilege of expressing their views, with the result that a special committee on fire apparatus,
recently appointed by the mayor, is to be continued and make recommendations for the betterment
of the fire department.
2/25/1924
HOUSE DESTROYED BY FIRE ON FARM. Both fire companies were called to the farm of
William Wilson, early in the morning, when his hot house was destroyed by fire.
2/26/1924
BOROUGH FIRE CHIEF ELECTED, ASSISTANTS NAMED. The matter of electing a fire
chief in compliance with a recent ordinance was taken up at the council meeting. The Mayor
stated that a secret ballot would be taken and the nominees of the two fire companies, namely John
Hoffman from Billingsport and Dr. H. Sinexon from the Paulsboro Company, were balloted for.
The result was unanimous for Dr. Sinexon as he was named Borough Fire Chief. The names of
Alex Hoffman and Walter Stine of the Billingsport Company and Charles Hohlweg and Simeon
DeVault from the Paulsboro Company were offered as assistants. There were two to be elected
one from each district. Stines was elected for the second district. The ballot resulted in a tie for the
first district. Hohlweg and DeVault each receiving three votes. The Mayor cast his vote for
DeVault to break the tie.
3/31/1924
NEW AMERICAN LaFRANCE IS TESTED. The new $10,000 American LaFrance pumper
was tried out and gave excellent satisfaction. The new 600-gallon truck arrived and seemingly the
firemen have declared a holiday to look it over. When it arrived via the railway, the fire bell was
rung and the volunteers who arrived expecting to fight a fire were cheerfully disappointed when
told they were to help remove the pumper from the boxcar. No difficulty was encountered as the
pumper came out under its own power. The route from the railroad was thronged with admiring
11
crowds, who followed the bright red machine to the Paulsboro firehouse where it was installed.
Appropriate ceremonies are being planned for its official housing. The truck was purchased by
appropriation from the borough council, who will present Billingsport with the balance due on
their machine, a Seagrave pumper. By action of the Fire Company, no more suppers will be
permitted there on account of the fire apparatus. By agreement between the Paulsboro and
Billingsport Fire Companies, the latter will answer all the fire alarms out of town next month and
the former will handle those calls this month. It was deemed advisable that only one company,
when a fire takes place out of town, responds to a call for help, as the town would be left without
fire apparatus and firemen.
4/07/1924
FIRE AT McCORKEL’S GARAGE. A small fire started among some waste oil on the second
floor of McCorkel’s garage over the old post office this morning. The fire apparatus was
summoned, but the garage men soon extinguished the small blaze with a chemical apparatus. Two
firemen thoughtlessly ran the new pumper into the garage, but fortunately the fire had been
extinguished. Onlookers were surprised that the firemen did what they did, as the pumper itself
might have caught fire.
4/09/1924
NEW TRUCK GETS ATTENTION. Paulsboro’s new fire pumper is getting quite vain with the
attention it receives. Every day and night the firehouse is filled with admirer’s young and old. It is
beautifully polished. At the creek it shows just how clever it is, and is waiting to show her rival,
the “Billingsport Blue” that red is the only color for a fire pumper. The engineer, who has charge
of the apparatus at present, till it is officially welcomed into the borough, reports the truck in
perfect condition. The local firemen are devoted; the old apparatus has no charms now. Each and
everyone are battling for the position of chauffeur to the new charmer. They are even arriving late
to the alarm of fire. Can you believe it? The answer is easy – the old apparatus must answer the
alarm first, the new pumper goes next. A number of firemen tried out the new pumper down by
the creek yesterday and also the day before. The pumper will prove to be a valuable addition to the
town’s fire department. The protection for a town of this size is second to none.
4/10/1924
FIRE AT LUMBERYARD IN MT. ROYAL. The fire companies responded to a fire at the H.
G. Green lumberyard in Mount Royal.
4/14/1924
GAS LEAK AT BARBER SHOP. The fire companies were called out in the evening when a gas
leak in the former McCleary barbershop took fire. Very little damage was done.
4/28/1924
LARGE BARN FIRE THREATENS OTHER BUILDINGS. A fire, which attracted attention
of nearby towns by the fierce glare, occurred in the center of town, just back of Broad Street
during the afternoon. The fire, which was supposedly caused by the carelessness of children
playing in the building, ignited the large barn belonging to Harry Baumblatt. The Paulsboro
firemen with their new pumper had a large stream of water on the fire in a few seconds after their
arrival. The Billingsport Company arrived almost as soon and also had a stream upon the fire. The
heat and sparks ignited several buildings close by, one belonging to Gus Sowders, but were
extinguished. The barn was completely destroyed. The buildings were covered by insurance held
by John Vanneman. Gibbstown responded to the call when for a time it was feared that the fire
would spread into the closely adjoining buildings. The firemen removed several horses with
difficulty.
5/01/1924
BARN DESTROYED BY FIRE AT PAULSBORO. Both fire companies were called out
Saturday afternoon when the barn in the rear of Harry Frank’s Plumbing Shop was discovered on
fire. The building was completely destroyed but the firemen prevented other buildings in this
congested section from taking fire.
5/31/1924
FIRE AT LINCOLN PARK. The fire companies were called out in the afternoon to extinguish a
blaze at the old Lincoln Park wharf. Both companies went into action and a fire tug was called in
to assist.
7/17/1924
FIRE CO. HOSTS MEETING. The Paulsboro Fire Company hosted the regular meeting of the
Gloucester County Firemen’s Association.
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8/01/1924
FIRE IN MACHINE SHOP. A slight fire occurred in Smith’s machine shop, on New Street,
during the afternoon. The fire was extinguished before the fire companies arrived.
8/28/1924
FIRE DESTROYS BUILDING AT PLANT. The town was startled from slumber at 4 o’clock in
the morning by the blowing of both the plant whistle and also of the fire siren. The flames were in
the paint and varnish shed of the Feltcraft Floor Company on Mantua Avenue, which was a total
loss. The firemen gave their attention to the other nearby buildings.
11/27/1924
LAMP SETS FIRE TO BED. The fire department responded to a fire alarm on Capitol Street. A
lamp set fire to the bedding. The fire was extinguished before the firemen arrived. The lady of the
home severely burnt her hands.
1925
3/05/1925
GRASS FIRE NEAR VACUM OIL COMPANY. The fire companies were called out to a large
grass fire near the gas plant. It was large enough that the officials at the Vacuum Oil plant thought
that it would spread to their tanks. The firemen did good work in putting out the fire before it got
near the tanks.
5/07/1925
HOME NEAR THE COLUMBIA HOTEL CATCHES FIRE. The local fire department was
called to a blaze in a one story building, occupied by J. Lewis, just beyond the Columbia Hotel,
about 1:30 a.m. on Friday. Mr. Lewis was at work and was not sure how the fire started. The
damage amounted to about $50. The firemen made quick work of putting the fire out, as it had
become a considerable fire in a short time.
6/25/1925
TRASH FIRE THREATENS COOMBS LUMBERYARD. The Coombs LumberYard was
again endangered when boys were seen setting a rubbish pile afire on the north side of the yard.
Firemen soon extinguished the blaze.
7/15/1925
CHIMNEY FIRE AT THEATRE. A fire alarm was sent in during the early evening as a
chimney was on fire at the Hill Theatre. The trucks responded and the firemen extinguished the
blaze with chemicals that were poured down the chimney from the roof.
8/06/1925
DUMP FIRE AT SANDURA. The dump near the Sandura Plant caught fire on Saturday
afternoon. The chemical fire truck soon put out the fire.
10/15/1925
FIRE AT NEW HOUSE. The fire companies were called out about 5:30 p.m. to a fire in a new
house on Penn Line and Washington Streets. No serious damage was done. The fire was started by
an overheated stove, which was being used to dry plaster.
11/26/1925
TRAIN CAUSES GRASS FIRE. Sparks from a freight train caused another grass fire below the
gas plant about 10 o’clock in the evening. The companies had hardly gotten back from the first
call when Chief Sinexon sent in another fire alarm and the Billingsport Company was sent to
extinguish another grass fire.
12/14/1925
CHIMNEY CAUSES FIRE. About 6 p.m. the firemen were called out in the bitter weather to a
fire at the home of Amos Keeler, on Mantua Avenue, where a chimney was thought to be blazing.
No one was home at the time. Little damage was reported.
12/16/1925
FIRE DAMAGES HOME. Around 10 o’clock in the morning the fire companies were called to
the home of H. Charnella, on West Washington Street, because of a defective flue in the chimney.
The whole 3rd floor was blazing by the time the firemen arrived, and it looked like a disastrous
blaze. A frozen fireplug gave the firemen a little trouble, but when both companies got streams
from their pumps going they soon had it under control. The loss is estimated at $2000, but it
looked like total destruction of the building for awhile. Mr. Charnella fainted and had to be cared
for by kindly neighbors.
12/24/1925
13
RELIEF ASSOC. ELECTIONS. The annual election of the Paulsboro Firemen’s Relief
Association was held and the following officers were as follows: President, W. Munyon – PVFA;
Vice President, W. Yandach – BVFA; Treasurer, C. Little – PVFA; Secretary, H. Smedley –
BVFA; Trustee, R. McNally – BVFA. The treasurer’s report showed total assets of nearly $6700.
Three death benefits totaling about $1100
1926
1/07/1926
SMALL CHIMNEY FIRE ON PINE STREET. The chimney caught fire at the home of Joseph
Ferrell, of 1526 Pine Street, on Thursday. No damage was done as the firemen arrived in time.
1/28/1926
FOURTEEN COTTAGES BURN AT BILLINGSPORT. (See Large Article Section)
2/18/1926
BUNGALOW DESTROYED BY FIRE. The small bungalow of Mr. Harry Davis, of the
riverfront, was completely destroyed by fire of unknown origin around noontime. The small
bungalow burned to the ground before the firemen could save it. Most of the household goods
were destroyed and the loss amounts into the hundreds of dollars.
3/08/1926
CHIMNEY FIRE. The local fire companies were called to extinguish a chimney blaze on
Washington Street.
3/19/1926
CHEMICALS USED TO PUT OUT FIRE. A truck caught fire on Swedesboro Avenue on
Friday afternoon. The firemen extinguished the blaze with chemicals.
3/20/1926
HOMES THREATENED BY WEEDS FIRE IN BILLINGSPORT. The fire companies were
called out Saturday morning to a small blaze in Billingsport. Some boys set fire to the weeds and
the high winds were fanning the blaze into a conflagration, which threatened nearby homes. The
blaze was quickly extinguished by the good work of the firemen.
4/01/1926
GRASS FIRE ON CLARKSBORO ROAD. The local fire companies were called to assist the
East Greenwich Fire Company with a large grass fire along the Clarksboro Road on Thursday.
4/12/1926
PAULSBORO FIREMEN FIGHT SWEDESBORO FIRE. The Paulsboro Fire Company
responded to the call of help from the Swedesboro Fire Company to help them in their fight to
extinguish a large fire, which engulfed two large warehouses and a dwelling on Monday.
4/22/1926
GRASS FIRE NEAR HOTEL. The local Fire Company was called to extinguish a grass fire on
Swedesboro Avenue, near the Columbia Hotel on Friday evening. Also, during the thunderstorm,
the fire companies were called out to extinguish a large tree that was on fire. It was struck by
lightning.
4/28/1926
FIRE IN THE WOODS CALLS OUT FIREMEN. The fire companies were called out
Thursday afternoon when the woods on the Bramell farm caught fire. The fire was allowed to burn
out with the firemen standing by to see that it did not spread to any nearby dwellings.
5/06/1926
CHIMNEY FIRE ON JEFFERSON STREET. A chimney fire at the home of Theodore
Moncreif, on East Jefferson Street, called out the fire companies Thursday afternoon.
8/18/1926
CAR CATHCHES FIRE ON BROAD ST. A Ford car parked in front of Mrs. Segal’s store, on
Broad Street, caught fire on Wednesday evening. The fire companies were called and soon
extinguished the blaze. Little damage was done.
8/29/1926
LARGE FIRE AT E. G. MILLER LUMBER YARD. (See Large Article Section)
10/11/1926
14
PRODUCE TRUCK ON FIRE. Quite a lot of excitement was caused in town this evening when
a truck loaded with farm produce caught on fire and began to blaze freely at the intersection of
Broad and Delaware streets. The fire companies were called out and extinguished the blaze.
10/14/1926
TRASH FIRE CAUSES SCARE. Both fire companies were called out in the morning to a house
fire on West Adams Street. When they reached the scene, it was found that several men were
burning trash in the rear of the house, which was throwing up immense clouds of smoke.
12/02/1926
FIRE CO. TO ATTEND CHURCH SERVICES. The Paulsboro Fire Company has accepted the
invitation from the Billingsport Fire Company to attend the Billingsport M. E. Church’s service on
December 12th. The Paulsboro firemen will have a turkey drawing on December 23rd.
1927
1/10/1927
FILM CATCHES FIRE AT HILL THEATRE. A slight fire at the Hill Theatre on Monday
evening called out both fire companies. The fire was out before they arrived. Two rolls of film
were destroyed.
1/12/1927
FIRE AT HOME IN BILLINGSPORT. A slight fire at the home of Joseph Brosic, of Billings
Avenue, called out the fire companies Wednesday morning around 9 o’clock.
1/18/1927
CAR NEAR STETSER’S ON FIRE. The fire companies were called out to the rear of Ambler
Stetser’s property. Around 1:15 PM Tuesday, a car belonging to Mr. Baumann was discovered on
fire. The car was totally destroyed, but quick action by the fire companies prevented the blaze
from spreading to other nearby buildings. The cause of the fire is unknown.
3/31/1927
BARN FIRE. Both fire companies were called out during the evening to a barn fire. Due to some
misunderstanding, the Paulsboro Company drove to Billingsport but could not find the blaze.
Upon returning to the firehouse they were informed that the fire was on Thomson Avenue. The
company immediately went to the scene and found Mr. Joseph Pinardi, the owner of the barn, had
already extinguished the blaze. Mr. Pinardi stated that he was burning some trash behind the barn,
and his three-year-old youngster took a blazing brand out of the fire, and unnoticed, went into the
barn where he set a pile of hay on fire. The eldest son of Mr. Pinardi noticed the blaze and called
to his father who extinguished the fire before it did any damage.
4/24/1927
GARAGE RAZED BY FIRE. A large garage in the rear of the residence of Mr. Walter Lodge,
522 Lincoln Avenue, was razed to the ground by a fire of unknown origin around 3:30 in the
afternoon. The fire companies were called out and did splendid work in saving the surrounding
outbuildings and residences in the vicinity. The home of tax collector Blackson, adjoining that of
Lodge, caught on fire from the sparks but the volunteer companies soon extinguished the blaze.
No one knows how the fire started, and when the companies arrived at the scene the garage was a
blazing mass, with no possibility of being saved. The firemen directed their efforts in keeping the
fire to the garage and saving the other buildings. The damage is estimated at about $300 and is not
covered by insurance.
4/26/1927
GRASS FIRE THREATENS TANKS. The fire companies were called out about ten o’clock
Tuesday morning to fight a grass fire near the water plant. The fire was spreading near the
gasoline and oil tanks.
4/28/1927
NEW WAY TO FIGHT FIRES IS DEMONSTRATED. The American Fomon Co.
demonstrated a new method of fighting oil fires at the I. P. Thomas plant, on Friday afternoon.
Representatives from the underwriters, and several large oil companies, together with local fire
department officials, witnessed a fire extinguished in 32 seconds with a new foam preparation,
which is being manufactured for the company at the I. P. Thomas plant.
4/30/1927
CHIMNEY FIRE. A chimney fire in a house on Buck Street called out the fire companies.
5/03/1927
15
TREE ON FIRE. The fire companies were called out to extinguish a fire, at the top of a tree, in
the rear of Dr. Wood’s house on Broad Street.
7/28/1927
ATTEMPT TO FILM FIRE. An attempt on the part of a motion picture company to film a scene
of a fire in which the local companies were in action, proved humorous on Tuesday evening. The
cameraman was all set. A large pile of rubbish was gathered near the Borough Hall, ready to set
fire to it, so that a blaze and smoke could be furnished. Chief of Police Mattson was on the second
floor, where he was to set fire to oily rags in a range so that a lot of smoke would be made and
pour out the windows. One of the firemen, in the role of the hero of the day, was all set to carry
one of his companions out of a window, down a ladder, and set him safe on terra firma. The plans
were well laid out, now to only execute them so that the cameraman could shoot the scenes. The
fire was started in the rubbish on the ground and was burning away. One of the firemen had the
nozzle from the hose trained on the blaze. Then the trouble began. Water could not be pumped
because of a bad connection. When it did come all of a sudden, it came with such force that the
pile of burning rubbish was scattered far and wide, and spoiled the blaze for the picture. Chief
Mattson built a good fire in the stove upstairs, but did not reckon with the leaky roof, through
which the smoke escaped, instead of through the windows. When the streams of water were shot
up in the air, both of them were about sixty feet high, or twice the height of the building. All in all
it will be a picture that will depict some sort of scene, just the opposite of the one that was
intended. The firemen and those concerned are having a good laugh over the whole episode.
10/03/1927
LARGE HOUSE CONSUMED BY FIRE. A large colonial house owned by L. Howard
Coombs, and occupied by Lewis DeMaro, was destroyed by fire of an unknown origin shortly
after 9 o’clock in the evening. The property was valued at one time at $30,000. The house is
located along the Delaware River and is also known as the Gwilliam mansion. It was built during
the Revolutionary days and was of brick and concrete construction throughout. Nothing but the
solid walls remained after the fire companies of Paulsboro, Bridgeport, Gibbstown, and
Clarksboro had put up a game one-sided fight to save the property and failed. The place was a
mass of flames when they arrived on the scene, and the furniture and the interior was gone before
a stream of water could be played on the flames.
12/23/1927
THREE FIRES IN ONE DAY FOR FIRE CO. The Paulsboro Volunteer Fire Company was
called out 3 times in one day to extinguish small fires about the town. A chimney on East Adams
Street caught fire first. This was followed by another one at the home of I. Raivley, on West
Adams Street. Both were extinguished with chemicals. The company had no sooner returned to
the hall with their apparatus than another alarm came in. This time, the tall grass along the railroad
had been set afire by a passing locomotive. Brooms were used in putting this blaze out.
1928
1/27/1928
CHIMNEYS CAUSE THREE FIRES. Dirty chimneys are blamed for three fires this past week,
one Friday and two the following morning. Firemen urge the residents of the town to see that their
chimneys are cleaned and probably save themselves thousands of dollars in property loss. Firemen
point out the dangers of a slight chimney fire not properly attended to and say that a slight blaze in
a flue may soon set fire to a wall or sparks from the chimney mouth can easily set fire to a shingle
roof. The local Fire Company responded to an alarm from the home of. A. Angelucci, on West
Broad Street, Friday evening, and there found the chimney ablaze. They soon extinguished the
blaze and saved the house from possible damage.
Saturday morning a call came from the farm of Reeves DeVault, on the Clarksboro road. Here
another chimney fire was found and quickly put out. Before they hardly backed the apparatus in
the firehouse, an alarm was sounded from the home of Walter Emil, West Broad Street, where
sparks from the chimney were falling on the roof of his property. The fire was also extinguished
by the good work of the volunteers.
3/29/1928
FIREMEN FEAR ACCIDENT CLAIMS. Drivers of the Paulsboro fire apparatus refuse to man
the trucks any longer unless they are insured against liability for accidents, the mayor was told.
That brought up the long mooted question as to whether the borough should expend about $1000
16
in premiums annually for this purpose. Faced with the alternative of having no drivers for fire
apparatus or paying for insurance, the local fire companies took the precaution of taking out the
insurance. The council, however, was expected to authorize the payment of the premiums.
Otherwise, the fire companies would be obliged to pay for the protection themselves. The
unfairness of this was stressed by the firemen who expressed the opinion that the borough would
probably be held responsible with the individual drivers in event of legal action for damages
caused by fire apparatus. Councilman Pohlig expressed his opposition to the borough assuming
the obligation at this time. In response to the argument advanced that uninsured drivers would be
liable to lose their personal property in event of damages, he said that he was sure the borough
would standby them in such an event. Councilmen Armstrong and Rittenhouse declared
themselves in favor of the borough assuming the costs of the insurance. It was finally decided to
hold the matter in abeyance until information from the county fire association about a group plan
can be presented.
4/26/1928
COUNCIL TO BUY 2 FIRE TRUCKS. Borough council went on record at Tuesday night’s
regular session as favoring the purchase of two new fire trucks at an estimated cost of $10,000.
The Public Safety Committee was authorized to have prepared an ordinance providing for the
purchase of the trucks and floating a bond issue to pay the bill. President of Council Earl
Armstrong reported that as a result of a conference of the Safety Committee and Fire Chief Henry
Sinexon and his assistants, it was found that the present 2 chemical trucks had little value for fire
fighting purposes. He estimated the cost of 2 new pieces of apparatus would cost between $3000
to $8000 apiece. Armstrong expressed the view of the conference that two suitable trucks could be
purchased at about $5000 each. He stated that the chemical truck at the Billingsport firehouse was
not usable and that the one at the Paulsboro Company was in bad shape. It was the opinion of the
committee, he asserted, that two machines with booster pumps would be of more use than trucks
of a type similar to the present ones. Councilman Pohlig suggested that one new truck be
purchased now for the Billingsport Company and one next year for the Paulsboro Company.
Armstrong told him, however, that the cost of placing the Paulsboro Company’s chemical truck in
proper condition would cost more money than it was worth. On motion of Councilman Hunter, the
Public Safety Committee was authorized to have the proper ordinance drawn up to purchase two
trucks. On other fire department matters, Councilman Wert reported that Chief Sinexon had also
suggested the installation of a modern fire alarm system in the borough, Also, the matter of
liability and property damage insurance on the fire trucks of the borough was again discussed. It
was decided that the borough would insure the present 3 pieces of apparatus, now in use, for
liability to the extent of $5000 for injuries to one person, and $10,000 for injuries to 2 or more.
8/01/1928
COUNCIL FAVORS BUYING LAFRANCE FIRE TRUCKS. (See Large Article Section)
9/07/1928
BUILDING DESTROYED BY FIRE AT SANDURA PLANT. (See Large Article Section)
10/25/1928
AUTO BURNS IN FRONT OF CHURCH. Considerable excitement was caused in the
community this evening when a Ford sedan belonging to Mr. E. R. Chew, of Woodbury, caught
fire and was almost totally destroyed by the flames in front of the St. Paul’s Church. Mr. and Mrs.
Chew were in the church attending evening services and were unaware that their car was on fire.
The conflagration was no doubt caused by a short circuit. The firemen quickly extinguished the
flames with chemicals.
11/16/1928
FIRE DAMAGES HOUSE. The home of Harry H. Gellenthin, of S. Commerce Street, was
slightly damaged by fire at 9:30 in the morning. The fire was thought to have been started by
defective wiring. Both fire companies were called and after a short fight, the flames were
extinguished in the third story in the dwelling. Mrs. Gellenthin, who smelled smoke and started to
investigate, discovered the fire. The loss is covered by insurance.
12/20/1928
DOUBLE HOUSE DESTROYED BY FIRE. Fire broke out about 10 o’clock this morning in
the home of Loren Rich, 217 West Washington Street, which is half of a double house. When the
firemen arrived the entire building was a mass of flames. The entire building and all the furniture
of both occupying families were completely destroyed. None of the Rich family was home at the
time, and the alarm was given when a daughter of George Cox, occupying the other side of the
house, ran into the street when the flames began to shoot through the intervening walls. The cause
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of the fire is unknown, but it is believed to have been started from an overheated stove in the Rich
home. The loss is estimated at about $4000.
1929
1/27/1929
GRASS FIRE NEAR VACUM OIL. A grass fire near the Vacuum Oil Company tank farm,
along Billingsport Road, took several hours of work to extinguish. The flames were spreading
rapidly toward the large 55,000-barrel tanks stored with oil when the alarm was turned in. The fire
did no damage.
1/30/1929
FIREMEN KEPT BUSY. Local firemen were called out twice in one day to extinguish a fire.
The first call was to the home of Fred Gerst, on Nassau Avenue, where bed clothing and a mattress
had caught fire. It is thought the blaze was started from children playing with matches. The blaze
was soon extinguished with about $50 in damage. The second fire, near noon, was at the home of
Thomas Trout, on West Buck Street, where soft coal being burned in a heater exploded and threw
live sparks over the shingle roof of the dwelling. Damage in this fire was about $10. None of the
fires were serious and the good work of the volunteers is being lauded by those affected.
2/15/1929
MAN SUFFERS BURNS IN BOATHOUSE FIRE. One of Paulsboro’s best known characters
was taken to the Underwood Hospital yesterday afternoon, after suffering from severe burns of the
face, head, left arm and back. The injuries were sustained when his boathouse, along the
riverfront, was destroyed by fire. He is listed in critical condition. Foley, whose name has
appeared in the newspapers for the past few years because of his various escapades with a large
sum of money left to him by his mother in England, was burned when he poured kerosene on a
fire he had kindled to prepare his noontime meal. The oil exploded and Foley’s clothes were
spattered with the blazing fluid. In a vain attempt to beat out the flames, he fell to the floor in a
semi-conscious state. Charles Kirgus, who lives nearby, was walking past the place and noticed
the smoke pouring from the front door. He heard Foley screaming with pain, and kicking the front
door open, saw him on the floor with the flames from his burning clothes enveloping his head and
face. Kirgus pulled the man to the front porch and summoned the ambulance and the fire
companies. While the firemen were extinguishing the blaze, Foley was rushed to the hospital.
5/25/1929
NEW FIRE APPARATUS ARRIVES. The new American LaFrance Type 99 motor fire
apparatus recently purchased for the Paulsboro Fire Department has arrived. The apparatus insures
the local department of one of the most modern and efficient types of apparatus made. It is
equipped with a powerful 89-horsepower motor and has 4 wheel mechanical brakes. The LaFrance
rotary gear pump, with which the apparatus is equipped with, has a rated pumping capacity of 500
gallons of water per minute. Besides a Rough Rider, soda and acid type of extinguisher, the
apparatus is provided with a Foamite extinguisher, fire dept. type, capable of producing 20 gallons
of fire killing Firefoam. Other equipment includes 2 lengths of suction hose, 10 ½ feet long, and
mounted securely on the side of the apparatus. A 20-foot American LaFrance solid side extension
ladder with rapid hoist device and one 12-foot ladder with folding hooks. Miscellaneous
equipment includes an electrically operated siren, pike pole, crowbar and all the necessary
operating tools. The hose compartment of the apparatus is strongly built of sheet steel and has a
carrying capacity of 1200 feet of 2 ½ inch hose. The apparatus is attractively finished in fire
department red and the trimmings and equipment are heavily nickel-plated.
8/01/1929
NEAR FIRE SCARE AT HILL THEATRE. A fire scare was averted near the end of the
second show at Hill’s Theatre when the seventh of an eight-reel film of “The Redeeming Sin” took
fire, causing an explosion. The flames and explosion was confined to the fireproof operator’s
booth, and at no time was there any danger of the fire spreading out of the booth. About 1000 feet
of the reel was consumed. It is not uncommon for a reel to take fire and ordinarily it will burn off
before it reaches the magazine containing the unwound reel. On this occasion however, the heat
was so great that it caused the door of the magazine to fly open, causing the whole reel to ignite
and explode. A fire alarm was turned in as a precaution and both the fire companies responded.
Few if any in the audience were aware of the firemen’s arrival and quick departure after making
an inspection. Manager Hill made an announcement to the audience, making excuses for the slight
delay of about eight minutes and explaining the situation, with assurances that everything was all
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right. The show was soon resumed and continued to the end. Clarence Porch, the operator, who
escaped without burns, extinguished the fire in the booth.
10/25/1929
COUNCIL ADOPTS NEW FD RULES. (See Large Article Section)
10/30/1929
NEW RULES FOR FIRE COMPANY ARE OPPOSED. The new rules for the Fire
Department, set down by the Borough Council, were strongly opposed by Mr. Paul, of the
Paulsboro Fire Company and Mr. Armbruster, of the Billingsport Fire Company. They declared
that they were contrary to the rules of the two associations and that they would interfere with the
work of the Firemen’s Benevolent Association. Mr. Paul stated that if the rules were enforced, a
hardship would be worked upon the firemen, and if that were done, we would soon be without
firemen. “We are below our quota of men at the present time and if these rules are approved we
will lose the few we now have” he declared. Any member of the Fire Department violating any of
the rules will be subject to suspension as an active member of the department upon the unanimous
decision of the Borough Chief and the two Assistant Chief’s.
11/08/1929
RESOLUTION PASSED ON DEATH OF FIREMAN. The PVFA passed a resolution on the
death of William C. MacMullen at its last meeting. The resolution speaks of his work in the
community and said association and says: “Be it resolved, that the PVFA #1, in session on this
eighth day of November, 1929, does express our sympathy to his bereaved wife, family and
friends, and that we stand at attention for one minute in silent reverence of his sacred memory”.
11/24/1929
DEFECTIVE FLUE CAUSE OF BLAZE. A defective flue brought misfortune to a local man
and wife and their five children. Their home with most of the furnishings was destroyed by flames
starting from the flue in the third floor of the dwelling at 3 rd Street and Greenwich Avenue. Fred
Rickert owned the house. Neighbors are caring for the family. A passerby discovered the fire after
seeing smoke and flames shooting through the roof. He summoned both the fire companies who
fought the flames for nearly an hour. The intense cold, coupled with a wind that threatened
adjacent homes, made the task both perilous and hard. Finally the flames were checked on the
second floor and the water soaked furniture, not destroyed by the flames, and was taken from the
smoldering ruins. Rickert fixes his loss at over $3500. Joseph Miller, hose man on Company 2,
suffered a sprained ankle while running with a hose. He was taken to his home by fellow workmen
after first aid treatment on the scene.
12/06/1929
NEW FIRE ALARM SYSTEM TESTED. The Paulsboro Fire Company’s new automatic siren,
installed this week, was given a through test yesterday afternoon, and proved quite satisfactory to
the fire officials and members of the borough government. The new siren can be heard over the
entire town, and with probable installation of a similar alarm at the firehouse in Billingsport,
firemen will be enabled to tell exactly where the fire is located. The new alarm system is patterned
after those used in larger cities throughout the country. Firemen of the volunteer class, too far
away to get to the firehouse in time to be on the apparatus when it leaves, are able to tell where the
blaze is and to get there without first going to the headquarters. A box has been installed in the
McCorkell garage and this was used in the tests made yesterday. The monitor system installed at
the firehouse resembles, in miniature, the switchboard used in the Electrical Bureau. A series of
switches, automatic in action, set beside machinery designed to give permanent service without
special attention, works the siren when the alarm is turned in. It may also be worked from the
firehouse. In the alarm boxes, soon to be installed throughout the town, a small brass disc is set on
a revolving shaft. A small lever above this is used in turning in the alarm. The lever is pulled and
the wheel starts revolving. Notches on the wheel correspond with the number of the box. For
example, the box number is 41, four notches, cut side by side in the disc are touched by a small
pin reaching down from the top of the lever mechanism. As the pin hits the first notch, the siren
starts blowing. The pin reaches the top of the notch and falls into the next notch. The siren, now
revolving at 3500 Rpm’s, stops in a split second.
12/27/1929
FIREMEN RESCUE WOMAN, LARGE STORE DAMAGED. (See Large Article Section)
1930
1/09/1930
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FIRE BREAKS OUT TWICE IN PAULSBORO DWELLING. Fire of undetermined origin
last night caused damage estimated at $3000 to the home of Howard Myers, 517 5 th Street. Most
of the damage seemed to have occurred at the first outbreak of the flames shortly before 11
o’clock p.m. Firemen were hampered in their battle against the blaze by a gas leak that was
escaping from a broken meter. Flames again broke out again around 4:30 this morning, but were
confined to the walls in the back of the house. There was little additional damage done. Claude
Luvier, a neighbor, who summoned the fire companies, discovered the first blaze. The fire was
brought under control within half an hour. The fire started in the cellar and then began spreading
to the dining room, where firemen were experiencing difficulty because of the flames spreading
through the walls. Clarence Mullin first discovered the second outbreak of fire, which damaged
the kitchen, and the fire companies were once again summoned. Firemen said an overheated pipe
in the cellar might have caused the fire.
1/24/1930
OIL STOVE FIRE CAUSES $500 DAMAGE TO HOME. Fire that resulted when an oil stove
became overheated this morning damaged the home occupied by Samuel Carter, on Railroad
Avenue. The loss is estimated at about $500, with no insurance. Carter discovered the fire in the
living room shortly after 7:30 am, and turned in an alarm. Both fire companies had the blaze under
control within a few minutes. The building is owned by Pasquale Benevento, who allowed Carter
and his son to live there. The building was once used as a shop, but a portion had been partitioned
off to make living quarters.
2/07/1930
FIRE COMPANIES HOLD PINOCHLE TOURNAMENT. The firemen of Paulsboro are
engaged in intricate, head-to-head death struggles. Don’t take it seriously, it’s all in fun and it’s all
old-fashioned pinochle. Both the Paulsboro and Billingsport Volunteer Companies have 5 2-man
teams and to date two sessions have been run off, with the Billingsport players emerging
victorious in the points garnered. The Billingsport men won a contest played in the Paulsboro hall
Friday night with the score ending up 28-12, while the Paulsboro teams went to the rival hall
Monday night and emerged victorious with a four point margin. The final score was 14-10.
Tonight the team’s battle again at Paulsboro and both sides emphatically declare they will win.
Billingsport’s teams are as follows: A. Armbruster and S. Leech, J. Hunter and R. Springer, C.
Jenkins and W. Hillman, O. Sheets and R. DuBrock, A. Hoffman and D. Pote. Paulsboro is
represented by the following men: E. Mattson and M. Titus, P.Meade and W. Munyon, S. Conley
and J. Huff, M. Garner and R. Mattson, J. Vanneman and W. Robinson.
2/18/1930
AUDIENCE FLEES FIRE AT HILL THEATRE. (See Large Article Section)
2/27/1930
BILLINGSPORT FIREMEN BEAT PAULSBORO. Billingsport’s firemen are evidently as
expert with a deck of pinochle cards as they are with a hose and extension ladder. They put the
blanket on the men from the Paulsboro Company in a series of games played in the fire hall, with
the final score reading 29-22. Paulsboro was padded, so they say, with old experts of the
Businessmen’s Club. Their team consisted of the following men: P. Lodge, G. Hannold, former
Mayor J. Vanneman, P. Ireland, R. Mattson, W. Robinson, B. Paul, W. Wilson, W. Sauers, B,
Connelly, E. Mattson, A. Connelly, C. Thompson, P. Meade and W. Munyon. The Billingsport
team is as follows: O. Sheets, R. DuBrock, A. Hoffman, D. Pote, A. Armbruster, S. Leap, W.
Davis, H. Fell, C. Jenkins, J. Scholtz, R. Springer, J. Hunter, C Pfeiffer and R. Wilson.
2/28/1930
NEW FIRE SIREN CRITICIZED. Dissatisfaction with the new fire alarm system was openly
and forcibly expressed at the regular meeting of the Borough Council on Tuesday night. Mayor
Wert even compared its volume of sound with a “peanut roaster.” The mayor opened the
discussion when he declared in no doubtful terms that the siren did not measure up to what the
borough officers had been led to believe would be the results. “They ought to be horsewhipped for
putting in a thing like that,” asserted Wert, after stating that the new siren could not be heard very
plainly in the greater part of the borough. “The salesman said it would be loud enough to throw
you out of bed,” he said. Councilman Winslow stated that he had not heard the siren on several
occasions, but if it was satisfactory to the firemen then it was agreeable to him. The mayor told me
about one fireman who had never missed a fire, but since the installation of the new siren he has
missed the last two fires due to the fact that he had not heard the alarm. Councilman Rule added
that he had been told the firemen were responding to alarms better since the new system and siren
had been installed. It was explained to council that the plans of Borough Fire Chief H. Sinexon,
are that only one company will respond to a fire alarm, depending on whose district the fire
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occurs. The other company will report to its firehouse and wait ten minutes for the possibility of a
second alarm, which will be the signal for a fire of more than just an ordinary conflagration. The
fire chief was asked by Mayor Wert about his opinion of the new siren and said, “It seems to me
that it isn’t loud enough. I missed a fire Saturday morning because I did not hear it.” Councilman
Rule said the majority of the people with whom he had talked had heard the alarm, but he had
heard it just once. “Personally, I don’t think much of it, I still think it’s a peanut roaster,” declared
Mayor Wert.
3/04/1930
PINOCHLE TOURNAMENT ENDS. All good times and things must at some time come to an
end, and that is what happened to the pinochle tournament between the Paulsboro and Billingsport
fire companies. Owing to fire drills commencing and warm weather coming on, it was thought
best to stop until next fall. The Paulsboro boys went to Billingsport and it was decided to make it
an evening of enjoyment. With this is mind the players were all mixed up and some hot hands
were played. After enjoying themselves with plenty of smokes and much joking the boys decided
it was time to go home. After everyone had their coats and hats on, William Munyon, leader of the
Paulsboro firemen, asked to be heard for a few minutes. When it was finally quiet enough for Bill
to be heard, he spoke on behalf of the Paulsboro boys and in manner that would do credit to some
statesman and orators, he presented the Billingsport boys with a beautiful loving cup, suitably
engraved. It is a work of art and the Billingsport firemen appreciated it. After the Billingsport
firemen had recovered from their surprise, Dan Pote accepted the gift on behalf of his boys. After
the presentation and acceptance, Uncle Sam Leap, the mascot of the Billingsport Company,
Entertained with a song, “Green Leaf.”
3/05/1930
FIREMEN TO TEST SIRENS. Local firemen will make an official test of the two new fire
sirens at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Borough and fire company officials will make a tour of the town and
pick out those spots where the sirens cannot be heard. The siren, one on each of the two
firehouses, has aroused considerable discussion among firemen and members of council. Mayor
Wert recently characterized them as “peanut whistles”, and firemen declare they can’t hear them
when in their homes.
3/14/1930
JUDGE ORDERS MAN TO JOIN FD OR TO JAIL. (See Large Article Section)
3/21/1930
FIREMEN STRESS NEED OF EXACT FIRE LOCATION. Local firemen are conducting a
“better alarm” campaign among residents of the town. The idea of the campaign is to get local
people to give more exact information when sending in fire alarms. It will help local firemen make
quicker runs to the scene and be prepared for the fire that awaits them. Considerable confusion has
been caused in the past due to a hurried call for help when fire touches a building or other part of a
local property. Many times both companies have been called out and raced the distance of the
town to find a small grass fire. Firemen point out that the persons sending in the alarm, through
more exact information can avoid all this. They recommend the following code in calling out the
fire companies: 1. Tell where the fire is. Not just the name of the street, but the number and
location. 2. Tell just what kind of fire it is. Don’t shout “fire” and hang up the telephone receiver,
tell the firemen answering it whether it is a chimney fire, grass fire, house fire or business property
blaze. 3. Have someone stand outside the house and direct the fire engines.
7/11/1930
CHIEF SETS NEW PLANS FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT. (See Large Article Section)
9/05/1930
TWO FIRES IN TWO DAYS FOR BORO FIREMEN. The local fire department answered
two alarms in two days this week. Neither fire did great damage, although the first blaze caused
Charles Little, Captain of the Paulsboro Company, to sustain injuries when he slipped and fell into
the flames. On Monday, the home of Linford Castor, on the road to Clarksboro, was slightly
damaged by a fire that was started from an unknown origin in the basement. Little was cut and
burned around the hands and arms when he fell while trying to reach a vantage point from which
to fight the flames. Castor and his family were not at home and a neighbor turned in an alarm. On
Tuesday, a penny hidden behind a burned out fuse in the store of A. Feldman, of Billingsport
Road, is blamed for a fire that slightly damaged the place. Firemen extinguished the flames with
little difficulty.
12/15/1930
FAMILY FLEES AS FIRE RAZES HOME. Fire of undetermined origin destroyed a frame
dwelling on West Washington Street early this morning. The loss was estimated at about $3500.
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Mrs. Isaac Tender owned the house. Tenants in the house were awakened by smoke at 4:10 a.m.
Opening the cellar door they found the entire basement ablaze. Firemen were unable to save the
property, the flames having secured too great a headway by the time the alarm was turned in by
members of the family. The occupants were forced to flee to the street, only partially clothed. All
the furnishings of the house were destroyed.
12/16/1930
ILL WOMAN FLEES HOUSE FIRE. Fire caused damage estimated at more than a thousand
dollars to the home of Byron Harrison, 611 Mantua Avenue, and forced an ill woman and a child
from the house. The blaze is believed to have been due to a defective chimney on the third floor.
Mrs. Harrison, although ill, fled from the house with her adopted child before the flames gained
headway, and helped direct the removal of some furniture. The Billingsport and Paulsboro fire
companies aided in extinguishing the fire.
12/26/1930
DOCTOR DONATES MONEY TO FIRE CO. Dr. I. P. Strittmatter presented the Paulsboro
Fire Company with a check in the amount of $100. It was in appreciation for the work the firemen
did in saving the outbuildings on his property from a fire in October. Carl Johnson, editor of The
News- Herald, presented the check to Borough Fire Chief Dr. H. Sinexon.
1931
2/06/1931
FIRE DESTROYS LOTSTEIN BARN. Fire of unknown origin completely destroyed a large
barn and warehouse owned by Max Lotstein, Delaware and Buck streets, around 3 p.m. The
thickly settled business district was threatened until firemen succeeded in confining the flames to
the one building. Damage is estimated at $4000. Lotstein, a hardware and household goods dealer,
stored a number of bicycles, paint and toys in the burned building. These were all lost. The
structure was also used at times to house his auto, which when the fire started, was parked in front
of the store. The intense heat blistered the American Store, at the corner of Delaware and Buck,
and for time firemen feared the flames would spread to the plumbing shop of Harry Franks, only a
few yards away. Many other smaller garages and outbuildings in the immediate vicinity made the
firemen’s work even more spectacular. Sparks fell on the low roofs and volunteers were pressed
into service to extinguish them.
3/20/1931
PAULSBORO PASTOR RESCUES CHILDREN. Rev. John Jackson, pastor of the Taylor
Memorial Baptist Church, on Greenwich Avenue, rescued his two daughters on Saturday when
fire swept through the church parsonage. Rev. Jackson suffered slight burns of the face and head.
The family was awakened at 6:30 a.m. by the odor of smoke. While Mrs. Jackson ran to the home
of a neighbor to telephone the firemen, Rev. Jackson ran into the children’s room, gathered his
two daughters, Elizabeth, 7, and Roslyn, 4, in his arms. He carried them to the street and then ran
back and attempted to beat out the flames with his hands. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire
companies responded to the alarm and extinguished the blaze only after it gone through the roof.
Damage is estimated at over $500. Rev. Jackson declared a night lamp had been left on a table
next to the children’s bed and blames this for the fire.
9/19/1931
FLAMES DESTROY AUTO AND GARAGE AT ADAMSON’S HOME. Fire, thought to
have been started by an electric short circuit in the wiring of a garage, at 29 S. Commerce Street,
demolished the building and destroyed an auto. Flames destroyed many valuable trophies, a radio,
moving movie projector and other articles of furniture. The damage is estimated at $2500, partly
covered by insurance. Charles Adamson, son of the owner, Harry Adamson, and a companion,
Charles Howarth, discovered the fire. A number of boys and young men of the town known as
“Adamson’s Gang” had used the second floor of the building for years as a den. The group on
Monday night was going to listen in on a radio program when they found the flames. While
Adamson ran to his home and summoned his father, Howarth opened the double garage doors and
the three men pulled one of the two autos housed there to safety. The other car was destroyed.
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Firemen were unable to prevent the spread of the flames and the entire building was razed. An
investigation disclosed a wire, unsheathed, in the rear of the building on the first floor. It is
thought the blaze started here and spread to a pile of oil soaked rags nearby.
11/06/1931
PAULSBORO HOTEL DAMAGED BY FIRE. Fire, shortly before nine o’clock in the
morning, caused $500 damage to the Paulsboro Hotel, at the corner of Broad and N. Commerce
streets. The fire is believed to have started from a defective chimney from which it spread through
the walls causing considerable damage on the second floor. Occupants of the hotel telephoned an
alarm, calling firemen from the Paulsboro Fire Company who soon had the fire under control. The
quick work of the firemen in reaching the blaze, through a hole cut in the weatherboards,
undoubtedly saved the building from greater damage.
1932
1/15/1932
STRAWBERRY MANSION DAMAGED BY BLAZE. The home of Mrs. Lavina Thompson,
742 Delaware Street, known as Strawberry Mansion, was damaged by fire shortly after noon.
Sparks believed to have come from a passing locomotive fired the roof of the residence. Firemen
from both companies were summoned when a watchman at the Delaware Street grade crossing
turned in an alarm. Dr. C. Sheets gave Amos Connelly first aid treatment for a cut on the palm of
his right hand. Damage was slight, amounting to less than $50.
3/18/1932
FOUR CHILDREN DIE IN FIRE NEAR CREEK BRIDGE. (See Large Article Section)
3/18/1932
GARAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE, CAR DEMOLISHED. Firemen were summoned to the
home of John Infeld, 517 Beacon Avenue, shortly after 4 o’clock in the afternoon, when a two-car
frame garage was burned to the ground and a touring car was destroyed. Two other cars were
pushed from the burning building. The flames were fanned toward the Infeld home, a bungalow
next door and another garage by a stiff breeze blowing across the Mantua Creek. Firemen
prevented the fire from spreading, however. Damage is estimated at $500.
4/01/1932
TWO GRASS FIRES. Paulsboro firemen were called shortly after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday when
a field of grass in the rear of the High Grade Pants and Vest Factory caught fire. Workers in the
factory, reporting to work, extinguished the blazing grass with brooms before the firemen arrived.
The municipal gas plant was also threatened by fire, on Sunday afternoon, when a field of grass
nearby burned.
4/08/1932
COUNCIL LOOKS AT FIRE CODE, RADIO REMARKS. (See Large Article Section)
5/06/1932
TWO FIRES IN LESS THAN SIXTEEN HOURS. A chimney fire threatened the home of Mrs.
Martin Covey, 126 Thomson Avenue, on Friday night shortly after 10 o’clock. Firemen from the
Paulsboro Fire Co. responded and extinguished the blazing soot in the flue. A passerby turned in
the alarm. Fire also damaged a small building in the rear of the home of Cooper Thomson, Broad
and Pine streets, Saturday afternoon, shortly after 4 o’clock. Sparks from the blazing structure, for
a time threatened a large barn standing nearby. Paulsboro firemen were summoned and extinguish
the blaze with booster equipment.
5/27/1932
DUMP FIRE THREATENS GAS TANKS. A dump fire on Crown Point Road, across the
Mantua Creek Bridge, caused an explosion scare Monday night when it was feared that sparks
from the blazing rubbish heaps would fire buildings near tanks that contain 130,000 of gasoline.
Local firemen extinguished the blaze in a short time with hose lines from the creek. The Fidelity
Oil Company, which adjoins the dump, had 40,000 gallons in their holders, while the Lincoln Oil
Co., next door, had more than 90,000 gallons in their tanks. The fire was also near the home of
John Bell, in which four children were burned to death in a fire, which gutted the structure. Since
that time the Bell home has been demolished and is now being rebuilt.
9/02/1932
POLICE HUNTING FIREBUG WHO FIRED DWELLING. County Detective W. Clayton,
State Police, local police and fire authorities are seeking the firebug who, shortly after 2:30
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Tuesday morning, set fire to a Swedesboro Avenue house causing damage estimated at $600. Dr.
H. Sinexon, Borough Fire Chief, ordered a police investigation after he discovered leaders of
cotton, saturated with an inflammable mixture of kerosene and turpentine, running from the back
door to all sections of the dwelling. Police questioned Joseph Fezio, 47, occupant of the house at 2
Bailey’s Terrace, Swedesboro Avenue. He denied knowledge of the cause of the fire and told
police, that with members of his family, he had left the house at 6 o’clock the night before for a
visit with friends in Philadelphia. The firebug is believed to be someone with knowledge of the
family’s habits and is believed to have used a skeleton key. Paul Landsdowne, a neighbor, who
discovered the blaze, told this newspaper that after noticing the fire, he ran to the house and
attempted to awaken the family. In his attempts to arouse the household, he found the back door
locked. His efforts futile, he turned in an alarm and firemen with ladders and masks determined
that the house was empty. The fact that the door was locked after the fire was started and the fact
that a small dog in a small shed a short distance from the back door failed to bark, led police to
believe that the fire bug must have studied the situation with care. An insurance of $1500 was
carried on the furniture in the house.
12/23/1932
BOROUGH FIRE CHIEF ISSUES XMAS WARNINGS. In order to prevent Yuletide tragedies
or property losses by fire, Borough Fire Chief Henry Sinexon issued a series of warnings
yesterday. Dr. Sinexon’s list of “Don’ts” is as follows: Do not use matches, a candle or any other
open flame to look for the gift packages. If you need a light, use a flashlight. Do not use candles
on the Christmas tree or in the small Christmas houses. Do not use paper, cotton or other
inflammable decorations on the Christmas tree. Do not place Christmas decorations near a gas, oil
or open flame. Do not let the wrappings of the Christmas gifts accumulate. Either burn them
immediately or pack them in some safe container for future disposal. Do not put pennies under the
electric fuses. If a fuse blows out your circuit is overloaded – send for an electrician. Do not hook
up toy microphones to your radio while it is plugged into the electric socket.
1933
1/10/1933
FIRE DAMAGES SHOE REPAIR SHOP & FACTORY. (See Large Article Section)
2/27/1933
THREE FIRES IN THREE DAYS. Paulsboro firemen responded to 3 fires over a three-day
period. The first fire was on Saturday, around 2:45 a.m., when they responded to to an alarm when
a small frame building in the rear of the home of Mrs. Emma MacMullin, 106 W. Broad Street,
was burned to the ground. A passerby, noticing the flames, rapped on the door of the Bell
Telephone office at Broad and Spruce streets and turned in the alarm. The two other fires were
from chimneys. On Sunday they were called to the farmhouse of William Lane, Mantua Grove
Road. On Monday they responded for a blazing chimney fire in a home on Swedesboro Avenue,
near Berkley Road. Both fires were extinguished and damage was light.
3/09/1933
BANDIT PATROLMAN STOPS TWO ATTEMPTS TO BURN BUILDING. A firebug’s
attempt to burn the Lock Livery Stable property failed Tuesday morning when Bandit Patrol
members discovered two fires before they could gain headway. Dr. Henry Sinexon, Borough Fire
Chief, termed two fires at 2 and 4 o’clock in the morning, on Tuesday, in the stable at Delaware
and Jefferson streets, the work of a “firebug.” A patrolman extinguished a blaze in the front
section of the structure at 2 a.m. Police made an inspection of the property, and a second fire was
discovered at 4 a.m. by a Bandit Patrol captain. Louis Vargo, 32, of E. WASHINGTON Street,
was the first Bandit Patrol member to discover the fire. Shortly after 2 a.m. while making his
rounds, he noticed smoke seeping from a small opening in front of the stable, which faces
Delaware Street at the intersection of Jefferson Street. Vargo pulled some rotten boards away from
the spot where a quantity of paper and waste were burning. After putting out the blaze he reported
it to Policeman Stephen Atkinson, and the stable property, which covers a half block, was
searched for other signs of fire. Atkinson, Vargo, Special Officer Dominick Travaline and Captain
Curtis Jenkins, of the Bandit Patrol, searched the stables but found no trace of fire. The searcher
left shortly after 3 o’clock and less than an hour later Jenkins, who was posted in that area for just
such an emergency discovered the second blaze. Hearing a cat crying with a strange tone in its
voice, he approached the stable. A crack in the large front doors showed a dull red glare of a fire in
the rear of the main building. Jenkins ran to the Paulsboro Diner, on Delaware near Washington
Street, and telephoned a fire alarm. He hurried back to the stable, freed the cat and aided the
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firemen from the Paulsboro Fire Company in extinguishing the blaze. The fire was centered in the
two stalls against the extreme rear wall of the main stable building. The stable, which was one of
the principal centers of this section of the state for horses and carriages of all kinds, especially
dray horses, was in its heyday in the early 1900’s. For the past five years or more, the property has
been used as a storage place for machinery and contractors equipment. The stable in which the
second fire started had a painted name board above it with the name “Minnie” buried under layers
of dust and grime. “Minnie” was the fastest and best liked horse of D. P. Armstrong, operator of
the stable nearly forty years ago.
3/23/1933
FIRE CHIEF ASKS HELP IN HALTING CHIMNEY BLAZES. Because of a series of
chimney fires, which have called firemen from both local companies at all hours of the night
during the past several weeks, Borough Fire Chief Dr. H. Sinexon issued the following statement
this week requesting the co-operation of homeowners in reducing the number of fires of this
nature. “Apparently a good many people in the borough have the erroneous impression that
firemen are paid for their services,” Chief Sinexon stated. “At seven of the recent chimney fires
the question was asked of the householder, “Did you ever think of cleaning out your stove pipe
and taking out a brick at the bottom of the chimney to remove the soot before the chimney caught
fire?” And in three of the seven cases the answer was, “Well the firemen get paid for this work.”
“Before a serious fire disaster occurs, may we ask every householder to clean out the stove pipes
from the stoves to the chimney and then take out a brick from the bottom of the chimney and clean
out the soot. This precaution might prevent a disastrous fire. If every householder would consider
the life and safety of others and clean up all the fire hazards about the house and garage, it would
be greatly appreciated by your firemen who willingly and cheerfully give their services for your
protection, day and night, throughout the entire year absolutely without any compensation. Every
big fire was a small fire at the start and we hope for your earnest cooperation, and ask that you
bear in mind that an ounce of prevention is worth more than tons of water,” he concluded.
9/28/1933
FAMILY ESCAPES BURNING HOUSE. A strong odor of gasoline, a neighbor’s story of
seeing a dark figure sinking away into the darkness, and empty 1 gallon paint can found several
yards away from the burning structure, containing traces of gasoline, have convinced Alessandro
Gatusso, of 37 Capitol Street, that someone set fire to his home early Sunday morning. Gatusso,
his wife and a three-year-old daughter, asleep in an upstairs room in front of the house, were
unaware of the flames creeping toward their room when a neighbor, Benjamin Norvilla, aroused
them. Gattuso took the baby and with his wife, escaped down the stairs as the flames reached that
portion of the house. Both local fire companies responded to the alarm and were successful in
efforts to prevent the spread of the flames to the adjacent buildings, although the corner of a roof
on one home was partially destroyed. The family was unable to save articles of clothing and fire
and water ruined all the furniture. The front of the structure was left standing, but the back half
was ruined beyond repair. Damage is estimated at $1500. The fire started in a small shed next to
the kitchen. Norvilla declared that he was awakened at 1:20 a.m. by a slight explosion which
shook his home. He rushed to the window and saw a large puff of smoke rise from the shed,
followed by flames, which ran up the side of the house. Escaping from the corner of the shed he
said was a man wearing a light colored shirt. Mrs. Gattuso later verified this account when she told
newspapermen that she heard a door slam but thought nothing of it because her son, Dominick, 17,
was due to come home from an orchestra meeting in Pennsgrove. At that time he was still in
Pennsgrove. Gattuso said he knew of no enemies and declared that “none of my friends would try
to do anything like this to me.” He has been unemployed for more than a year, and of late had
attempted to secure work with several local factories.
10/19/1933
PAULSBORO FIRE CO. GETS NEW INHALATOR. For the first time in local history, a
complete set of equipment to be used in all fire and accident emergencies is available to borough
residents. That equipment is the inhalator and its accessories. It was purchased through public
contributions in less than a month. Last week in the Paulsboro firehouse Chris Walls gave a
demonstration of the inhalator, a representative of the Public Service Corporation. He explained in
detail the purposes the inhalator can serve, and illustrated the operation of the device. Examples of
restoring a suffocated or drowning victim to life were made during the address. Through the
efforts of Edward Peterson, of the Strathmann Sand and Gravel Plant, and members of the two
borough fire companies, a drive was started from door to door a month ago. Charles Little
managed the Paulsboro division and John Hoffman, the Billingsport. Both companies cooperated
in the venture. Today the equipment, consisting of the inhalator, an auxiliary, 4 first aid kits, a
stretcher, 2 woolen and 2 rubber blankets, 4 chemical hot pads, 2 small oxygen tanks and one large
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8 hour tank, has been placed in a convenient place in the garage of J. B. McCorkell, S. Delaware
and Wood streets, where it will be ready for use at all hours. Appreciation for the public support in
making possible the inhalator were made by Mayor Wert, Edward Peterson, Charles Little and
John Hoffman. Little declared that in case of an emergency, all firemen would respond to an alarm
sounded by one long blast on the fire sirens. Plans are being completed to secure a safetyman from
the Atlantic City Electric Co. for another public demonstration to be held within the next few
weeks at the Billingsport firehouse.
11/29/1933
BON-TON DEPARTMENT STORE DAMAGED IN BLAZE. (See Large Article Section)
12/21/1933
SINEXON ENDORSED FOR BOROUGH FIRE DEPARTMENT HEAD. Both fire
companies have recommended to borough council the reappointment of Dr. Henry Sinexon as
chief of the Paulsboro Fire Department. At their annual election, the Paulsboro company also
recommended Charles Little to be renamed as Assistant Chief. The Paulsboro firemen reelected S.
Rulon Stowman to the president’s chair, the 1934 term being his second. Other elected officers
are: W. Duncan, V. P.; H. Smith, Rec. Sec.; H. Jordan, Fin. Sec.; E. G. Lodge, Treasurer; S. Elliot
and J. P. Ireland, Trustees; W. Munyan, Captain; H. Smith, Lieut.; S. Elliot, Chauffeur; S.
Stowman, M. Titus, C. Thompson, A. Ashton and E. Lodge, Fire Marshals. Following the election
of officers, the firemen presented a dramatic skit. A large attendance was present consisting of
past and present officers.
1934
1/06/1934
FIRE IN REFRIGERATOR AT PAULSBORO STORE. The store of Paul G. First, Delaware
and Buck streets were threatened by fire this morning when a bearing burned out in an electric
refrigerating plant in the store basement. Firemen from the Paulsboro Fire Company were
summoned at 7:30 a.m. when a passerby saw smoke coming from the place. The power operating
the electric motor was cut off and the dense clouds of smoke that filled the place permitted to
escape. Only the motor was damaged.
1/08/1934
SLEEPING FAMILY OF 8 ROUTED BY BLAZE. A widow, her six children and her sister
were driven from their home here early yesterday when fire of undetermined origin razed the
interior of the place. They carried no insurance and all of their possessions were destroyed with
the exception of the night clothing they wore. The widow is Mrs. Sarah Doran and Ida Dougherty
is the sister. She was visiting the family over the weekend. The family was quartered together in
the Paulsboro Hotel yesterday by Welfare officials. The two women and five of the children were
asleep when a son, Harry, discovered the fire. He told Fire Chief Dr. H. Sinexon that he had gone
to the backyard to gather wood and noticed flames shooting from a bathroom window. He
awakened the family and then ran five blocks to summon the firemen. Firemen found the interior
of the house a raging inferno and devoted their efforts to preventing the spread of flames to
surrounding houses. The dwelling was located at 7 South Delaware Street.
1/11/1934
FIREMEN QUICKLY CHECK BLAZE IN LOCAL RUG PLANT. Damage estimated at
$2500 was caused by fire of unknown origin which swept a corner of a sample room and
laboratory of the Sandura Company floor covering manufacturers around 10:30 p.m. Firemen
from Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies were summoned to the plant on Mantua avenue by
two alarms. The blaze was extinguished in 20 minutes. Robert Stewart, manager of the plant, was
high in his praise of the firemen for the work they did. Most of the buildings of the plant are of
fireproof construction. The one in which the fire had its origin was a two-story frame structure, 30
by 75 feet. Stewart estimated the fire loss at $200 and the remainder of the damage caused by
water to lithographed material used for advertising purposes. Jules Baldwin, a chemist, was the
only man in the laboratory at the time of the fire. He easily escaped from the structure. Plant
employees, fearing that the fire might spread, aroused from their beds five persons who make their
home in quarters adjoining a restaurant in one of the buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Whitelam,
who operate the restauraunt; their two children, Harry Jr., 12, and John, 5; and Mrs. Rose Saxon,
an employee, had just retired when the alarm was sounded.
1/18/1934
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PAULSBORO FIREMEN’S RELIEF PICKS MUNYON. The Firemen’s Relief Association
has elected William Munyon as president for the current year. Other officers chosen by the body
are Walter Yandach, Vice President; Charles Little, Treasurer; Harold Smedley, Secretary; and
Cooper Thomson, Trustee.
2/01/1934
HOT TAR STARTS FIRE IN PAULSBORO STORE. Fire threatened to destroy the remodeled
store of Louis Gross, on Delaware and Monroe streets, when a bucket of hot tar was overturned by
the wind. Paulsboro firemen extinguished the blaze with chemicals in a half-hour. Gross’s store
and three other shops were destroyed by fire on Nov. 26 th. Gross’s store was also robbed on
Monday.
2/08/1934
SANDURA PLANT DESTROYED BY HUGE FIRE. (See Large Article Section)
5/03/1934
PAULSBORO HAS WEEKEND FIRES. Local firemen had a busy weekend, aiding in
extinguishing a barn fire, putting out a chimney fire and a blazing pit of tar at the local gas plant
Saturday and Sunday. The firemen aided Gibbstown and Repaupo firemen Saturday afternoon
when flames destroyed a large barn and shed on the Harry Shute farm, near Repaupo. The flames
also destroyed three large haystacks and about 100 sashes of young cabbage, pepper and tomato
plants. The origin is unknown. The local firemen at 8 o’clock Saturday night extinguished a
blazing chimney fire at the home of Michael Lota, Delaware and Washington streets. There was
no property damage. A pit of tar at the municipal gas plant caught fire yesterday at noon,
presumably from a spark from a passing locomotive, and blazed brightly for several minutes.
Large clouds of thick black smoke billowed to the sky for nearly an hour, attracting a large crowd
of motorists to the scene.
7/14/1934
VACANT DWELLING DAMAGED BY FIRE. Fire of undetermined origin, but thought to
have been started by someone who slept in the house during the night, damaged an untenanted
three room shack on Riverview Avenue around 5:30 in the morning. The fire companies
extinguished the blaze. The fire, discovered by neighbors, for a time threatened to sweep through a
row of ten like structures and endangered four large gasoline storage tanks. The Dealers Oil
Company, of Haddonfield, owned the house.
7/15/1934
PAULSBORO AUTO IS DAMAGED BY FIRE. An auto owned by Pietro DiNardo, 29
Roosevelt Avenue, was badly damaged by fire. The garage it in which it was housed was also
scorched badly before the Paulsboro firemen could extinguish the flames. DiNardo discovered the
blaze as he prepared to drive to work.
11/22/1934
SHIRT FACTORY SWEPT BY FIRE. (See Large Article Section)
1935
5/02/1935
FIRE ON TUGBOAT THREATENS PLANT. Property valued at more than $100,000 was
threatened Thursday night when a fire started in the hold of a tugboat that was tied up at the docks
of the Strathman Sand and Gravel Company. Workman discovered smoke pouring from the hold
of the craft, the William Vare, at 5:30 p.m. Firemen of the Paulsboro Fire Co. were summoned and
the plant fire fighting equipment was rushed into service. An hour before the fire was noticed, the
tug had returned from Philadelphia with an empty sand barge. The boats were moored and the
crew left as soon as the task was completed. Several other barges, the wharf facilities and the
plant, which is largely of timber construction, were threatened by the blaze. The quick work of the
firemen and plant workers confined the fire to the interior of the boat. Chemicals and a small
amount of water were required to quench the blaze. Henry Peterson, manager of the plant
estimated loss Friday morning, at $500. The cause of the fire could not be definitely established,
although it is thought the exhaust pipe might have been responsible. The fire-damaged tugboat
sank 18 months ago in the Schuykill River, in Philadelphia, but the vessel was raised, repaired and
returned to service.
7/12/1935
FIREMEN IGNORE CORONER’S EDICT ON VICTIM. Although a coroner, after an
examination of the body, this afternoon issued a death certificate for a man dragged from
Almonesson Lake two hours before, Woodbury and Paulsboro firemen equipped with inhalators,
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continued working until almost 3 p.m. in a vain effort to restore life. The victim, James,
McNamee, 39, of Central Avenue, Blackwood Terrace, drowned in 3 feet of water in the lake. The
Goodwill Fire Company was summoned and brought their inhalator, and were assisted by the
Almonesson firemen in working on the man. The Paulsboro inhalator squad was called when the
other men working on the body detected what they thought to be signs of life. The Paulsboro crew
made the run to Almonesson in less then 10 minutes in their cars and a fire engine, and alternated
with the Woodbury firemen in the resuscitation work. They refused to give up until 3 p.m.
10/03/1935
OLD FIREMEN DISCUSS CHANGES. Retired firemen recounted experiences of the early fire
fighting days of both local fire companies last night at the first annual dinner at the Paulsboro
Restaurant. Policeman W. Harry Lamson, former chief of the Paulsboro Fire Company, told of the
hardships of the company when it consisted of a small group of men and inadequate equipment.
Lack of training and old-time hand-pumping equipment gave way to modern methods early in the
history of the department. Joseph Banks, former chief of the Billingsport Fire Company, told of
the humorous incidents that occurred during the first few years following thew formation of this
company. Howard Smedley, president of the Exempt Association, gave a history of the fire
department. William Munyon, captain at the Paulsboro Co., reported on the recent convention at
Atlantic City. W. C. Turner served as toastmaster. He arranged the dinner with Harry Wilkerson.
An entertainment program including singing, tap dance and tricks of magic concluded the affair.
11/29/1935
SMALL FIRE ON BUCK STREET. A chimney fire was extinguished by the Paulsboro Fire
Company, at 245 West Buck Street, around midnight. Little damage was done.
12/17/1935
MAN IN HOSPITAL AFTER LOOKING FOR GAS LEAK WITH A MATCH. Rinaldo
Cavacchio, 54, of 324 W. Washington St., looked for a gas leak last night with a lighted match.
Doctors at Underwood Hospital sent him home after treatment for burns of the face, chest and
arms. The fire companies responded to the alarm and prevented the fire from sweeping his home.
The blast reduced his kitchen, a pantry and a part of a rear wall to a mass of wreckage. Cavacchio
had moved to the house a week ago with his wife and their six children. They smelled gas last
night and the husband, with a daughter, went to the cellar to inspect the meter. The girl told the
firemen her father struck a match near the meter. The blast, heard for several blocks, followed.
The girl helped her father back to the ground floor and firemen, who had just returned from a
chimney fire at the home of Under Sheriff William G. Lodge, took him to the hospital. The blast
shook the neighborhood, breaking windows in adjoining houses. Damage was estimated at $1,000.
12/20/1935
MATTSON ELECTED PRESIDENT OF PAULSBORO FIRE CO. Elmer Mattson has been
elected president of the PVFA #1 with Wilmer Duncan as vice president; Harry Smith, recording
sec.; Harvey Jordan, financial sec.; and Edward Lodge, treasurer. Walter C. Thomson was elected
trustee for a five-year term. Dr. Henry Sinexon was selected for recommendation to borough
council as chief of the borough fire department. Other line officers are Charles Little as assistant
fire chief; William Munyon, captain; and Smith as lieutenant. Fire marshals are Fred Cowgill,
Jordan, William Sauer, Leon Thomson and Milford Titus.
12/24/1935
OIL BARGE EXPLODES KILLING TWO. (See Large Article Section)
12/26/1935
RUSHES TO FIRE AT HOME, IN ACCIDENT. A minor fire yesterday afternoon was the
indirect cause of an automobile accident. Neighbors extinguished a blazing cellar window frame.
A short circuit was blamed. A few minutes after an alarm summoned firemen to a fire at the home
of Wilson Bates, of S. Delaware Street, a cousin, Frank Bates, who makes his home there, learned
of the blaze in his neighborhood and hurried toward his residence. At Broad and Delaware streets,
Bates’s automobile crashed into the rear of a truck operated by William Meyers, a fireman, who
had halted to pickup another fireman. Bates’s auto was badly damaged, but he was able to
continue home. No arrests were made.
12/30/1935
FIREMEN CALLED TO CHIMNEY FIRE. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called to a
chimney fire at the home of Samuel Davis, at 1635 Swedesboro Avenue; around 6:30 a.m.
Damage was slight.
1936
28
1/11/1936
FIRE DAMAGES BOROUGH RELIEF OFFICE. The local relief office closed Tuesday, 11
days in advance of the scheduled closing, after fire had damaged the roof and the third floor of the
structure. A passerby, who notified Charles Wilcox, supervisor of the office, observed the blazing
roof of the building housing the ERA headquarters at 7th St. and Greenwich Avenue. Wilcox
summoned firemen of the Billingsport Fire Company at 3:15 PM. A few minutes later, fire
officials ordered a second alarm sounded, bringing the Paulsboro Fire Company to the scene
because of the danger to the congested area. Relief workers under Wilcox hurriedly removed
valuable files and records from the blazing structure. When this work had been completed, and
while firemen were still pouring water on the blaze, the office furniture was removed to nearby
homes. County relief officials ordered the equipment and files be taken to the general headquarters
in Woodbury. Wilcox told officials that he had noticed that the offices were becoming unusually
warm, but he had no inkling that the place was afire until the excited pedestrian shouted the alarm.
The relief head stated that trouble had been experienced with the oil burner for several weeks and
that Frank Stines, a repairman, had left the building a short time before the fire was discovered. A
defective chimney was blamed for the fire. Firemen held the blaze to the third floor and roof area
and the only damage to the other floors were from water seepage. Ten relief clients were in the
office when the fire was discovered.
1/23/1936
POLICE AND FIRE SIGNALS MOVED. The police and fire alarm signals have been moved
from J. B. McCorkell’s former garage and show room at Delaware and Wood Streets, to the new
location at the intersection of Broad, Delaware and Swedesboro Ave., by William Munyon, a local
electrician. The McCorkell agency is open day and night and all police and fire alarms are
transferred to the garage, where an attendant switches on the police light if an officer is needed.
The officer in turn phones to the garage, when the police signal lights all over town goes on. The
fire alarm works similarly, with the exception that the garage attendant sets the siren to blow the
required number of times, to signal the section of the borough where the fire may be. Also, the
Paulsboro Fire Co. burned off some grass-covered lots for their drill on Monday.
1/27/1936
FLAMES DAMAGE BOROUGH RESIDENCE. Fire that started from a defective chimney
flue threatened to destroy the home and grocery store of Eugene DiGiovacchino, 900 N. Delaware
Street, shortly after 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Damage was estimated at $1000 when flames ate
through parts of three floors about the chimney in the structure. Firemen of Paulsboro Fire Co.
upon arriving summoned the Billingsport Fire Co. with a second alarm in order to prevent possible
spread of the flames in the business section. The blaze was confined to the home by quick use of
water and chemicals. Smoke, issuing from the home, attracted the attention of a passerby who
notified members of the family in the store. The occupants and persons attracted by the fire
formed a bucket brigade and attached a garden hose to a faucet in the home, fighting the fire until
the firemen arrived.
4/23/1936
MILKHOUSE THREATENED BY BLAZING GRASS. A garage and milkhouse on the
property of A. A. Weeks, 638 N. Delaware St., were threatened shortly before noon today when an
adjoining field of dried grass became ignited by sparks from a bonfire. Joseph D. Murray,
president of the Board of Education, a neighbor of Weeks, was burning trash when the field caught
fire. He summoned the fire companies who completed burning over the field.
5/03/1936
TWO FIRES IN ONE DAY. The local firemen were called out twice yesterday. The first time
was to extinguish a chimney fire at the residence of 238 W. Adams Street early in the morning.
The second time was later in the afternoon to put out a grass fire along Riverview Avenue.
5/11/1936
PAULSBORO FIREMEN AID GIBBSTOWN ON HOUSE FIRE. Thought to have been
caused by defective wiring, a fire early yesterday morning threatened to totally destroy the home
of George Frock, Forrest Avenue, near Broad Street. Firemen of the Gibbstown and Paulsboro
companies fought the flames for nearly half-hour before getting them under control. The local fire
company’s apparatus was in Camden being repainted at the time of the blaze and the Paulsboro
Company was summoned. Two bedrooms in the house and the third floor were badly damaged by
fire and smoke. Damage was estimated at $1500. Frock left home early Saturday morning to visit
his wife, a patient at Glen Gardner, and did not know of the fire until his return late yesterday.
7/02/1936
29
LIGHTNING HITS BARN NEAR BOROUGH. Struck by lightning, shortly before noon, a
barn on the Harry Leach farm, on Harmony Road, was destroyed by fire with damage estimated at
$3500. Two horses perished in the flames, but two others were led to safety. A quantity of hay in
the loft was burned and several farming implements were destroyed. The Paulsboro Fire Co. was
the first to reach the scene in the midst of a driving rain and electrical storm and was followed by
firemen from Clarksboro and Gibbstown. Firemen connected hose lines from Swedesboro
Avenue, a distance of 2200 feet, and connected with Gibbstown water mains. The local company
laid about 900 feet of hose. The blaze was brought under control during the early afternoon. The
farm dwelling and other outbuildings were not damaged. The damage is partly covered by
insurance.
1937
1/24/1937
FIRE SWEEPS BOWLING ALLEY, FOUR ARE RESCUED. (See Large Article Section)
5/27/1937
ADAMS ST. HOME SUFFERS $1,000 DAMAGE IN FIRE. The Paulsboro Fire Company was
called out Tuesday night, at 7 o’clock, to extinguish a fire at the home of William Cake, 335 W.
Adams Street. Neighbors discovered flames shooting from a second story window and turned in
the fire alarm. By the time the firemen arrived at the scene, the flames had eaten their way through
the frame sides of the dwelling and through the roof. Neighbors and firemen removed all the
furniture from the lower floors, and a considerable amount of jars containing delicatessen foods,
mayonnaise and pickles, which Mr. Cake sells, while the balance of the fire company battled the
spreading flames in the upper story of the house. The most serious damage resulted in one
bedroom, which was totally destroyed with all its contents. The flames were subdued in less than
an hour. The damage was estimated at $1000. Only the building itself was covered by insurance.
None of the contents were insured. Only Cake’s aged mother was at home when the fire was
discovered. Neighbors aided her out of the dwelling, and before the fire companies arrived, began
to remove furniture and clothing from the first floor. William Munyon, president of the Paulsboro
Fire Co., was overcome by smoke at the scene of the fire. A local physician treated him.
10/28/1937
FINISHING ROOM AT SANDURA PLANT DESTROYED. Fire that started in the finishing
room of the production plant of the Sandura Company, yesterday, caused damage estimated at
more than $50,000. The principal loss being in expensive machinery that was ruined by the
flames. Paulsboro firemen, battling against flames that swept through that portion of the plant
almost immediately after the first flare, checked the blaze when it reached the north end of the
frame structure. A brick building adjoining the finishing room was saved as firemen braved flames
and the smoke from the lacquer in a short, but terrific fight. A half-hour after the alarm was
received at 1:45 p.m. the fire had been completely checked, but had swept the finishing room,
leaving mute evidence of its intensity. Firemen had just returned from a grass fire when the alarm
was received from the Sandura Plant and both the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were
at the scene and had several hose lines laid to the fire within a few minutes, enabling them to
prevent a greater loss. Firemen said the fire started from spontaneous combustion. There were
seven men said to have been working in the finishing room. The workmen, all of whom escaped
the building without injury, said there was a sudden flare as a sheet of flame shot up from a
saturating machine used to soak mats with chemicals. Captain William Munyon and Franklin
Yandach, both members of the Paulsboro Company, leaped from a doorway to safety when they
looked up in time to see rafters collapsing above them. The blaze recalled the disastrous fire on
February 9, 1934 when the plant was swept by fire with a loss estimated at over a million dollars.
The plant was never completely rebuilt, but operations were resumed on a smaller scale more than
a year ago. Recently there were reports that the company was planning to expand its operations at
the Paulsboro plant, and whether the fire yesterday will interrupt that program was a matter of
conjecture today.
11/06/1937
FIRE THREATENS BIG PAULSBORO OIL TERMINAL. A garage at the Patterson Oil
Terminals was threatened with destruction last night when gasoline exploded while the truck was
being refueled. The gasoline fumes ignited when a worker accidentally broke an electric bulb on
an extension cord. Prompt action of the plant workers in use of fire fighting equipment confined
the blaze to a small area. Loss was estimated at $150. Although the damaged building was in the
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oil plant yard, nearby buildings are of metal construction and large storage tanks are guarded by
firewalls. The local fire companies were summoned to standby but were not put into service.
11/11/1937
TWO GRASS FIRES IN ONE DAY. Local firemen extinguished two grass fires yesterday in a
two-hour period. At 4:30 p.m., Billingsport firemen were called to a grass fire in the rear of the
home of Paul Carl, near N. Delaware and Lincoln. The Paulsboro Fire Company put out the other
field fire near the Loudenslager School at six o’clock that same evening.
11/13/1937
DERELICT OIL BARGE BURNS AT PAULSBORO. A derelict oil barge near the end of the
500 foot pier jutting out from the Patterson Oil Terminals here caught fire last night and burned to
near the water’s edge during a heavy downpour. The barge, along with two others, serves as
breakwaters for the pier. The fire companies were called and hose lines were laid to the pier end
and the fire flooded out. A small section began blazing anew this morning but was extinguished
quickly. George Reid, manager of the oil plant, said that the fire caused no other damage. The
same barge overturned and partly sank several years ago.
1938
1/10/1938
FOUR ESCAPE AS BUILDING BURNS. (See Large Article Section)
1/31/1938
GARDEN HOSE CHECKS FLAMES. Hooking up a garden hose to a spigot in the kitchen,
Alex Beverly, of 267 W. Buck Street, early yesterday halted the spread of flames in his home and
then drove half a dozen blocks to send in a fire alarm. Beverly, who arrived home at 3 a.m., was
awakened soon after six o’clock in the morning by the odor of smoke. He investigated and found
two rooms on the first floor in flames. Beverly hastily hooked up a length of garden hose and
fought the flames. Partitions had caught fire, however, and the flames spread to a bedroom on the
second floor. Beverly drove to the firehouse for help. While he was gone, Wynn Daley, a
milkman, noticed smoke pouring from the house and went inside. He found no one in the building
and had started fighting the flames when the firemen arrived. Damage was estimated at $200. The
fire is thought to have started from a cigarette butt that was in the couch.
2/10/1938
THREE FLEE WHEN FIRE IS DETECTED. Three elderly people fled to safety when fire
damaged the home of William Heaton, local magistrate; at 115-117 W. Washington St. around
11:30 a.m. Damage was estimated at $1000. Jennie Boody, a neighbor, who was visiting in the
Heaton home, discovered smoke seeping from the cellar through the floor of the first story of the
two and one-half story double dwelling. The neighbor assisted Mrs. Mattie Heaton, 73, and a
boarder, Linda Skill, 70, from the house which was rapidly filling with smoke. Mr. Heaton, who
has been ill, made his way from the house unassisted. Firemen were summoned and brought the
fire under control. Firemen found that a fire, which started in the cellar, had eaten its way between
partitions beyond the first floor. Neighbors carried furniture and personal possessions of the
occupants from the building and from the adjoining magistrate’s office. Those who fled from the
Heaton home were housed at the residence of another neighbor, Isaac Heiser.
2/11/1938
BOY GETS REWARD FOR FIRE ALARM. A six year old local boy was rewarded yesterday
by former Mayor James Wert for turning in a fire alarm while excited neighbors aided residents of
the home of William Heaton to safety when the place was found to be afire Wednesday morning.
The boy, Stanley Sauchuk, a first grade pupil, resides at 113 W. Washington street, adjoining the
home of Heaton. In the confusion of the fire, the boy left the crowd in front of the smoke filled
house and ran to Wert’s office on Delaware Street. He was unable to coherently tell his story due
to lack of breath, but he did manage to say he lived on Washington Street and the house next door
to his was burning. Miss Maude Holzschuh, Wert’s secretary, telephoned a fire alarm and a few
minutes later the firemen arrived to put out the fire. Wert, who was out of town at the time of the
fire, learned of the boy’s action when he returned. He sought to identify the youngster. Yesterday
Wert located the Sauchuk boy and presented him with an un-circulated silver dollar for his
presence of mind and two hands full of candy.
7/21/1938
TRUCK CRASHES INTO SIDE OF FIREHOUSE. A “family accident” in which trucks
owned by father and son, collided at Thomson and Swedesboro Aves. The accident resulted in
nearly $300 damage to the headquarters of the Paulsboro Fire Co. Trucks driven by Joseph
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Leonardo, Billingsport Road, and John Gaines, Swedesboro Ave., collided at the intersection.
Gaines was driving a truck owned by Leonardo’s son, Benjamin. The elder Leonardo’s truck, in
which five passengers were riding, crashed into the firehouse after the collision, damaging a large
roll up door and knocking several concrete blocks out of the wall. The truck stopped when it
touched the bumper of a fire engine. Recorder Harry Hausmann for reckless driving fined each
driver $15.
8/18/1938
BOROUGH NURSE, FRIEND ESCAPE FLAMES IN HOME. Mrs. Almeda Davis, a borough
nurse, and a woman companion escaped injury when flames damaged the Davis home on DeVault
Avenue around 10 p.m. The women escaped the flaming house in their night clothing. Mrs. Davis
told firemen that she was awakened by the smell of smoke shortly after 10 o’clock and found the
hallway and stairs enveloped in smoke and flames. Awakening her companion, she led her to the
ground floor and to safety. Firemen confined the flames to one room, the hall and stairs. The
damage is estimated at $500. An investigation to determine the cause of the fire is being
conducted.
12/18/1938
COOMBS LUMBER YARD SWEPT BY $50,000 BLAZE. (See Large Article Section)
12/27/1938
BARN AND CATTLE LOST IN BLAZE. Damage estimated at in excess of $2500 was caused
when fire destroyed a barn on the farm of Alfio Grasso on Billingsport Road. The blaze, of
undetermined origin, razed the barn, destroyed a horse, two cows and a calf. It also wrecked
several pieces of farm machinery. The barn loft was filled with hay. Fanned by a strong, cold
wind, smoke from the fire hung over the Delaware St. business section for a short time prior to the
sounding of the alarm. The Grasso family discovered the blaze when the entire building was a
mass of flames. When firemen of both the fire companies arrived, the structure was fully engulfed
by fire. Firemen directed their attention to saving a wagon shed and a pigsty. Strong gusts of wind
occasionally sent showers of sparks toward three homes near the Grasso house. In the house
nearest the blaze, the family of Margaret Quitt, 27, who is critically ill, prepared to move her in
case the flames spread. The other occupant, Andrew Domanick and family, gathered together their
valuables and were also ready to flee. Two other homes in the path of the flames, were occupied
by Leroy Lloyd and Roy Reign, who were not at home at the time of the fire.
1939
1/05/1939
THREE INCENDIARY FIRES CAUSED 1938 LOSS TO INCREASE. In submitting his
annual report of fire loss for the Borough of Paulsboro, Dr. Henry Sinexon, Borough Fire Chief,
expressed the opinion that three recent fires were of incendiary origin. Dr. Sinexon reported at the
final session of the 1938 council that Paulsboro’s fire loss had been estimated at approximately
$30,945 for the entire year. “I believe the last three serious fires were of incendiary origin,”
Sinexon’s report stated. “I appeal to the citizens of the borough to report to the police department
or the fire department any information that may help in the apprehension of the offender.” The fire
loss was estimated at $4000 prior to the disastrous blaze that swept the J. Howard Coombs
Lumber Company plant Sunday night, December 18th. This fire, which was confined to storage
buildings of the plant, accounted for the major portion of the year’s loss. Nine days later the
family of Alfio Grasso, a farmer on Billingsport Road, near the municipal gas plant, found a barn
in flames. No explanation could be given as to the cause of the blaze, which razed the barn,
destroyed livestock and machinery with an estimated loss in excess of $2500. On Thursday night
another barn was mysteriously burned on the farm of Benjamin Leonardo, on Billingsport Road,
less than a half mile from the Grasso farm. Authorities have been searching for information that
will bring the series of fires to a halt. The fire chief’s report brought the first official confirmation
of the believed incendiary origin of the fires.
1/12/1939
FIREBUG SOUGHT AS TWO MORE FIRES OCCUR. Fire that swept a barn on the farm of
Albert Ladner, on the Paulsboro-Swedesboro Road, just outside of Paulsboro, destroyed three
horses, three cows and a calf on Saturday night. Earlier in the evening fire damaged the
trainmaster’s office at the Pennsylvania – Reading Seashore Lines, at Pennline and the railroad, in
Paulsboro. A preliminary investigation by Paulsboro Fire Chief, Henry Sinexon and the local
police indicated that the fires might have been of incendiary nature. Within the past three weeks
two fires in the Paulsboro area have destroyed other barns and a lumber mill. A search is being
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made for a pyromaniac. The fire in the railroad office, discovered at 9:30 PM, started in a corner
in back of some lockers. A window in the rear had been broken open, according to the police. A
youth caught by Policemen Stephen Atkinson and John Fletcher, in a chase across the meadows
was being questioned when the alarm was received for the Ladner fire. Three Repaupo youths
discovered the fire and telephoned an alarm to the Paulsboro and Gibbstown fire companies. Mt.
Royal, Clarksboro and Billingsport fire companies also sent apparatus to the scene of the blaze.
1/21/1939
MUNICIPAL HALL DAMAGED BY FIRE. Paulsboro’s borough hall was threatened by
flames Saturday afternoon when fire of undetermined origin caused an estimated $500 in damage
to the basement and walls of the first floor. Frank Schmutz, of East Monroe St., discovered the fire
and summoned both Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies. Quick action of the firemen
confined the flames to a small area. The municipal offices in the building had closed at noon and
the building was vacant when the fire was discovered at 3 PM. A door leading into the clerk and
treasurer’s offices was scorched and smoke damaged some supplies. The fire, which apparently
started in back of a baseboard in the hallway, spread down into the basement and upward between
the walls of the main office. Firemen had to cut through the wall to extinguish the flames. The
basement blaze was checked before it could reach the section in which gas department supplies
and clothing for the relief department are stored. Heavy smoke penetrated through the building
and firemen were forced to use gas masks. The janitor, who had completed his cleaning work and
left only a short time before the blaze was discovered, said there was no indication of a fire when
he was in the building. The last borough employee left about two o’clock. Firemen were called
back to the hall 3 a.m. on Sunday, to extinguished a small blaze that broke out. Borough
employees were working as usual on Monday.
1/22/1939
DRUG STORE AND CHIMNEY FIRE ON SUNDAY. A fire in the drug store of Al Green, N.
Delaware and Monroe streets caused slight damage, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday.
Paulsboro firemen quickly extinguished the blaze, the principal damage being caused by smoke.
Firemen were also summoned to a home on Berkley Road later that afternoon to extinguish a
chimney fire.
1/25/1939
FIRE RAZES SPORTSMAN’S CLUBHOUSE. A two-story clubhouse, owned by the
Paulsboro Sportsmen’s Association, was destroyed by fire with a loss estimated at $1500. The
clubhouse was located on the Delaware River. The fire, origin of which has not been determined,
was discovered at 5 p.m. and spread rapidly through the frame structure. The firemen prevented
the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings.
1/30/1939
FIRE DAMAGES BUILDINGS. Members of the local fire companies who were summoned by
neighbors quickly extinguished a grass fire in the rear of the Paul property on W. Broad St.;
shortly before 4 p.m. Prevailing high winds started carrying the flames towards nearby buildings.
Two outbuildings on neighboring properties were damaged by fire.
2/02/1939
GRASS FIRE THREATENS THREE HOMES. A grass fire, which swept across several vacant
lots extending from Nassau to Greenwich avenues, shortly before 3 o’clock in the afternoon, gave
the firemen a stiff battle before being extinguished. The homes of George Gilcrest, John Hatchet
and Edward Mason, in the line of the flames, were saved only by water from the hose lines of the
firemen. The firemen were called out later in the day to S. Delaware St. to extinguish another grass
fire, which was caused by sparks from a trash fire in a nearby yard.
2/25/1939
PRISONER OVERCOME IN FIRE AT JAIL. When blankets on his bunk in a cell at the
municipal jail became ignited Saturday night, John Esher, 22, of Pennsgrove, shattered a window
with his fist and later toppled to the floor, overcome by smoke. Neighbors summoned firemen and
the blaze was quickly extinguished. Policeman Don Travaline carried Esher from the cell and
administered artificial respiration. Esher was arrested earlier in the evening when he staggered in
the path of a police car. He was placed in jail pending a hearing before Justice Isaac on a
disorderly charge. The fire was blamed on a cigarette that fell from his lips as he dozed. Isaac
imposed a $5 fine on the disorderly charge.
3/02/1939
PAULSBORO STORE SWEPT BY FLAMES. Fire early today swept a Paulsboro drug store,
ruining the stock and the fixtures. Much of the damage was caused when the ceiling of the store
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collapsed during the height of the blaze, which was fought by the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire
companies for nearly two hours. The store, operated by the Al Green Medicine Corporation, is
located at Delaware and Monroe streets. It was the scene of a fire on January 22 nd, when fire and
smoke caused slight damage. Patrolman Dominic Travaline discovered the fire at 12:30 am, while
on patrol, and turned in an alarm. Firemen prevented the flames from spreading to an adjoining
vacant store and the Baji studio and a taproom-restaurant, which are located in the same block.
Concrete sidewalls helped confine the blaze to the one store. Firemen did not determine the origin
of the fire this morning. Employees told firemen the store was closed around 11 p.m. An accurate
estimate as to the loss was not immediately available, but it is believed to be about $2000.
10/05/1939
LOCAL FIREMEN AID FIRE PREVENTION PLANS. The week of October 8 – 14 is known
as Fire Prevention Week and the Paulsboro Fire Co. #1 has placed 2500 pamphlets in the school,
which were distributed to the homes of the borough through the pupils of the schools. These
pamphlets contain a “Check Up Chart” of home fire hazards and urge all to prevent fires by
removing hazards. The question is asked, “Is your home 100% safe?” Fifty-five fire hazards are
listed from which your home should be free. Signs that will be displayed on fireplugs are
effective. They say, “Don’t give it a chance and you’ll never need me. An ounce of prevention is
worth a ton of water.” A special meeting of the Paulsboro Fire Co. was held when these details
were arranged and inspectors were appointed from the company to inspect business and public
places. They were as follows: Joe Hurst, Edgar Dare, Harry Smith, Ira Huff, Joseph Hinman, Max
Blum, William Sauer, Harvey Jordan, William Rile, Charles Bryant and William Munyon. They
will begin on Monday with their inspection duties.
11/09/1939
PAULSBORO FIREMEN FETED BY AUXILIARY. The members of the Ladies Auxiliary at
their annual get together dinner party entertained the Paulsboro firemen and their families. Mrs.
Milford Titus, president of the auxiliary, presided and gave a gracious speech of welcome. Mr.
Milford Titus acted as the toastmaster and in his own genial way introduced each speaker, led the
singing and generally kept things moving. Chief Charles Little, of the fire company, addressed the
group expressing his thanks to the Auxiliary. Chief Little told of the founding of the original
company in 1899 when a handful of men met in what was then known as Law’s Hall and later in
the Armstrong Livery Stables. On April 11, 1900, the actual company was organized by a few
businessmen and the original group. The one piece of apparatus was hand drawn to the fires.
According to Little, only a few of the charter members are now left. “The Old Timers are the
backbone of the company,” said Little. Other members of both the Auxiliary and company to
make addresses were Captain Harry Smith, Sanford Elliot, Clem Turner, Walter Thomson, Bertha
Rambo, Irma Lodge, Myhlie Wagner, Mrs. Amos Connelly and Mrs. Elliot. William Munyon,
who now serves as an official of the Fire Police Association, told of the activities of that group. A
social period of cards and games followed.
11/30/1939
FIREMEN RE-ELECT DR. SINEXON AS CHIEF. Dr. Henry Sinexon was re-elected as Fire
Chief and William Munyon was named president of the Paulsboro Fire Co. at the annual meeting
of the firemen. Dr. Sinexon has been Paulsboro Company’s chief since 1920. He has been the
Borough Fire Chief since 1924 with the exception of one year. His name will be submitted to
borough council for reappointment as Chief of the department. Charles Little was re-elected
Assistant Chief. Harry Smith is the Captain and Sanford Elliot is the Lieutenant.
12/14/1939
BARN DESTROYED BY FIRE FOR SECOND TIME. Fire, which razed a barn on the farm of
Alfio Grasso, near Paulsboro, Sunday night, threatened the farmhouse and other nearby buildings
before firemen finally extinguished the blaze after a three-hour battle. A large quantity of hay and
several farming implements were destroyed with the barn. Grass, whose farm is located at
Jefferson St. and Billingsport Road, Gibbstown, adjacent to Paulsboro, estimated his loss at
$4000. It was the second barn fire within a year at the Grasso farm. The structure destroyed
Sunday was built to replace a barn lost in a fire last December. James Kaye, 21, who confessed to
setting the other fire, was committed to the New Jersey State Hospital last week. A horse and
several pigs, housed in an adjoining shed, were led to safety. The fire Sunday was discovered by
two children, Dorothy and Helen Domanico, 10 and 8, daughters of a neighbor, who ran into the
Grasso home and gave the alarm at 6:10 p.m. Grasso said he had been working in the barn only a
short time before and that there were no indications of a fire when he left. The Paulsboro Fire
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Company, the first summoned by the alarm, had to run a hose line for a distance of 1000 feet to
reach the blaze, and by that time the entire barn was ablaze. Billingsport and Gibbstown fire
companies were also summoned to the scene, the latter company having trouble reaching the farm
because motorists, attracted by the flames, snarled traffic on Billingsport Road. Firemen, after a
hard battle, prevented the blaze from spreading to the adjoining farmhouse and other nearby
buildings. Sparks and flying embers also threatened the Paulsboro Gas Plant.
1940
4/26/1940
BOROUGH GIVES FIREMEN MONEY. The fire companies received a letter from the
Borough stating that they would give each Fire Company $250.00 a year to cover expenses, and
also that carnivals are now illegal within the Borough limits.
9/26/1940
FIRE AT CHURCH GIVES HINT OF FIREBUG. An alarm of fire in the evening brought out
both fire companies. Fire was discovered under the old St. John’s R. C. Church. The fire is
suspected of being incendiary in nature. Fire company officials discovered paper covered with tar,
which had been ignited. When the fire was discovered, the framework under the building was
burning. Three weddings were scheduled for Saturday in the church, which has been recently
moved back to Mantua Avenue. The new church is nearing completion and it is directly in front of
the old structure. Officials are wondering if the epidemic of church fires is to start over again.
11/22/1940
FIREMEN AGAIN SELECT SINEXON AS CHIEF. Dr. Sinexon who has served as chief of
the Paulsboro Fire Department since its organization in 1924, has been recommended o the
Paulsboro Council for reappointment by the Paulsboro Fire Company #1.
1941
1/23/1941
BOROUGH FIRE LOSS LAST YEAR ONLY $485. Paulsboro’s fire loss in 1940 amounted to
only $485. The borough council was advised of this at their meeting. Councilman Sylvester
Billbrough, director of Public Safety, made the report for Charles Little, a fire department official.
It revealed that firemen were summoned for 51 alarms, including one emergency call during a
flood and one inhalator call. At the suggestion of Mayor Neil Dempsey, letters of commendation
were ordered sent to each company expressing appreciation of council for the fine record.
5/15/1941
FIRE AUXILIARY BIRTHDAY PARTY HELD. Members of the Ladies Auxiliary of the
PVFA entertained those members having birthdays this month. Blanche Stetser, a new member,
was welcomed. Following a short business session, cards were enjoyed. Olive Munyon, in charge
of the birthday arrangements, invited guests to the birthday table, which was charmingly decorated
with a May pole of pink and blue with miniature ladies as favors. Birthday gifts were presented to
those enjoying birthdays. Meetings have been discontinued for the summer months.
6/19/1941
CONTROL OF AMBULANCE GIVEN TO FIREMEN. Paulsboro’s new community
ambulance will be turned over to the borough’s firemen, it was decided by Mayor Dempsey and
borough council. The unit will be operated and maintained by the firemen, and is to be under their
supervision at all times, it was announced. The action was taken after George Ray, borough fire
chief, had requested council to state the policy to be followed for use of the equipment. He
revealed that various people have been driving it, which one fender has already been dented, but
that no one has been taking care of the machine. Theodore Hetzel, chairman of the campaign
committee of the Paulsboro Sportsmen’s Association, which directed the drive for funds to buy the
ambulance and Frank Schumann accompanied Ray to the meeting. The latter explained that the
firemen had agreed that one company would care for and maintain the ambulance each month,
alternating the responsibility back and forth monthly between the two companies. Councilman
George Ross, an active member of the Ambulance Fund Committee, informed council that the
borough had not yet received the title to the machine because of an error made when the original
35
registration papers were written. The decision of Mayor and Council to give the firemen control of
the apparatus is expected to end the dissension that arose over its use.
7/03/1941
MAN DROWNED IN EFFORT TO SAVE BOY. A Paulsboro man was drowned Sunday
afternoon in a heroic attempt to rescue a 7 year old boy who waded beyond his depth in a water
filled gravel pit off Berkley Road, between Paulsboro and Mount Royal. The victim was John
Reynolds, 22, of 3 East Jefferson Street. The drowning occurred at the pit owned by W. C. Turner
and Son. Reynolds, with his brother-in-law Irvin Brown, and Thomas DeCantlice of Jericho, was
watching several children wading, when a boy named Johnson, of Chestnut St., went under.
Reynolds, who could not swim, went to his rescue and stepped off a ledge into 10 feet of water.
Brown plunged into the pit and brought the small boy in, while DeCantlice pulled Reynolds
ashore. Brown then ran a mile and a half into Paulsboro to summon help. Members of both the fire
companies from Paulsboro responded with Fire Chief George Ray and Dr. William McGuire.
After 2 hours of respiration by first aid squads, Dr. McGuire pronounced the man dead. The body
was removed to the morgue of A. B. Adams, of Paulsboro, and Coroner Zapf, of Wenonah, issued
the death certificate.
10/23/1941
FRANK POTE JR., GIVEN GALA FAREWELL. Frank Pote Jr., a member of the Paulsboro
Fire Co., was tendered a farewell party by members of the company and auxiliary. A dinner was
enjoyed with dinner music by the Swedesboro Hillbilly Band. Ben Fish acted as master of
ceremonies, introducing the president of the auxiliary, Mrs. Milford Titus, who, with a few
gracious remarks, presented Mr. Pote with a lovely fitted leather case. Mr. William Munyon,
president of the firemen, spoke on the service Mr. Pote had rendered for the company, and wished
for him, as an expression from the entire company, the very best of luck in the service of Uncle
Sam. He presented him with a leather wallet on which were inscribed the initials P.V.F.A. Mr.
Pote, who on Wednesday will become Private Pote, accepted the gifts with thanks. His parents,
Mr. And Mrs. Frank Pote Sr., were also the guests of honor.
1942
3/05/1942
FIREMEN BUSY ON DEFENSE ACTIVITIES. Firemen are busily engaged these days to
assure the highest working efficiency in the event of any emergency. George Ray, borough fire
chief, and Clyde Shivery, Gibbstown fire chief, have been mapping special defense organization
plans since the outbreak of war. First line of defense for a heavily populated section serving a vast
war industry center, these fire companies have augmented regular personnel with 30 reserves each,
who aid the regulars in maintaining a 24-hour vigilance over all equipment in the event of any
emergency. Both communities, by investing in the purchase of modern, fully equipped
ambulances just prior to Pearl Harbor, have prepared for any eventuality. A special ambulance
driving corps is in training in co-operation with the Red Cross. Ray announced that special drill
nights for further instruction of reserves and regulars, in accordance with state plans for training to
combat chemical fires and incendiary bombs would begin at the Billingsport firehouse tonight.
7/23/1942
TRUCK AND TRAILER DESTROYED BY FIRE. A large truck and trailer, together with its
contents of furniture, were completely destroyed by fire in front of the parsonage of St. Paul’s
Church, on Broad Street, shortly before five o’clock in the afternoon. Local firemen responded to
the alarm but were unable to save much of the contents, the fire apparently having been burned
inside the closed truck body for a long time before being discovered. Local police had the
damaged truck, a moving truck from Florida, towed from the highway while the driver and his
assistant were given transportation back to St. Petersburg by another man from that locality.
8/01/1942
LIGHTNING STRIKES HOUSE DURING SEVERE STORM. Lightning struck the home of
Mrs. Harry Delamater, 301 West Broad Street, during a severe electrical and windstorm, causing
damage to their attic. Local firemen were summoned to the blaze in the property, in which the
John Zecher family also resides. William Munyon, assistant fire chief, was overcome by smoke
while fighting the fire and was removed to the Underwood Hospital for treatment. He was later
released to his home.
9/13/1942
CHILD DROWNS IN THE MANTUA CREEK. Rose Marie Milsted, twenty months old, was
found drowned in the Mantua Creek, a few hundred feet from the residence of her grandparents,
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Mr. and Mrs. Lester Milsted, 1201 Commerce St., with whom she lived with. Her grandmother
was preparing dinner and missed the child, who had been playing in the yard. Mrs. Milsted
aroused the neighborhood and summoned Patrolman Stephen Atkinson, who investigated and
called members of the Paulsboro Fire Dept. Firemen began grappling at 4:30 p.m. and recovered
the girl’s body about two hours later. She was found in water that was ten feet deep, at Lodge’s
wharf, on the western bank of the creek.
12/03/1942
YANDACH NAMED AS FIREMEN’S HEAD FOR 1943. Franklin Yandach was elected
president of the Paulsboro Fire Co. at the annual meeting on Friday night when several changes
were made in offices. Other officers are: William Sauer Jr., V. P.; Max Blum, Rec. Sec.; Harry
England, Fin. Sec.; W. C. Thomson, Treasurer; William Rile, Trustee; Joe Hurst, Charles Bryant,
Joseph Hinman, Milford Titus, Harry Franks, Fire Marshals. George Ray was approved as fire
chief with Harry Smith named as first assistant chief; Sanford Elliott, Captain; William Rile,
Lieutenant; Joe Hurst, Chief Chauffeur.
1943
1/21/1943
COUNCILMAN AND CHIEF PRAISE FIREMEN. George Ray, borough fire chief, and
members of both fire companies were highly praised by Councilman S. Billbrough, public safety
chairman, who presented the yearly report at the last council meeting. Billbrough stated the men
who are volunteer firemen and those who are assisting the defense setup, devote an average of a
day a week as watchman in the firehouse. Firemen respond to all ambulance calls in addition to
fire calls. The service they are rendering is of inestimable value, according to Billbrough. The two
companies made 81 calls in 1942 and held the property damage down to a minimum of $1610. No
serious injuries or loss of life were experienced. The community ambulance made 139 calls and
covered 3915 miles. Chief Ray also highly complimented the men for their services.
11/01/1943
BOY DROWNS IN MANTUA CREEK. (See Large Article Section)
11/22/1943
3 MEN KILLED AT RAILROAD CROSSING. (See Large Article Section)
1944
2/10/1944
GETZ STORE SWEPT BY $16,000 BLAZE. (See Large Article Section)
8/22/1944
FIRE DESTROYS PART OF HOUSE. Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the front section
of the home occupied by Mrs. Rudolph Mattson and family, of 910 Commerce Street, Sunday
morning around 1:15 a.m. One daughter Thelma jumped out of a second story window and injured
her back. Mrs. Mattson climbed out on the back porch roof and was helped down by firemen. The
fire started in the front room of the first floor and the flames then quickly spread. A son Edgar,
who is home on leave from Pacific theatre of operations of the U. S. Navy, and another daughter,
Louise, were not at home at the time of the fire. The family is now residing with Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Jordan, parents of Mrs. Mattson, while the house is being repaired. The husband is a SeaBee somewhere in the South Pacific.
12/28/1944
BELONGINGS OF TWO DESTROYED BY FIRE. Fire destroyed the interior of the home of
Mary Corbin of 234 W. Washington Street. Mrs. Corbin and her daughter, Mrs. Viola Miller, lost
all their belongings and furniture. A short circuit is believed to have started the fire. The Paulsboro
and Billingsport fire companies responded to the fire and kept the flames to one side of the double
property. Mrs. Frances Vanneman, Welfare Director, is appealing to everyone to donate clothes
and furniture to these victims. Both are in ill health and unable to work. One of the women is a
widow of a First World War veteran. Anything, which will help them to again establish a home,
will be appreciated.
1945
1/08/1945
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MUSHROOM PLANT DESTROYED BY FLAMES. Firemen from nearby communities
fought a stubborn blaze for over four hours at the mushroom plant, on the Paulsboro-Clarksboro
Road, Sunday afternoon. The blaze was discovered at 2 p.m. and was finally brought under control
at 6 p.m. The entire plant was destroyed with an estimated loss of $75,000. A wife of the plant
foremen, who resided on the second floor, over the plant, discovered the flames and ran out of the
apartment to warn her husband that the place was ablaze. He rushed to the phone and summoned
the nearby fire companies. The six buildings were constructed of concrete blocks and frame, and
covered with tarpaper. Hundreds of tons of manure were destroyed as well as mushrooms, which
were just coming into bloom. The cold and the icy condition of the ground hampered the firemen.
The water from the East Greenwich reservoir was utilized at first to fight the blaze, as their
fireplugs are located in the vicinity. Later the Paulsboro water system was opened and aided in
building up pressure. Fire companies from Clarksboro, Mt. Royal, Paulsboro, Billingsport and
Gibbstown fought the stubborn blaze.
1/18/1945
MAN KILLS SELF; GUN BLAST SETS FIRE TO BEDCLOTHES. William Coleman, 50, of
Berkley Road, Kill Deer Hill section, who was having domestic difficulties for some time, ended
his life last Thursday afternoon. Before laying down in bed and placing a shotgun muzzle to his
chest, and releasing the trigger with a stick, he wrote a note asking his wife to dispose of his body
properly. He reminded her in his pre-death message “You can have Willie Smith, but you’ll
always have bad luck.” He referred to Smith who is a boarder in their home. Before committing
suicide, Coleman broke everything in the house with an axe. Nothing was left intact. He then
ended his life in the gruesome manner described above. The blast set fire to his clothing, which in
turn set the bed ablaze. Neighbors saw smoke coming from the cabin and summoned the fire
department from Paulsboro. Firemen extinguished the blaze and found the man not only dead, but
also badly charred. They summoned the Paulsboro police, who in turn summoned the State Police.
Sgt. George Probert and Trooper George Ellis completed the investigation. Coroner R. Zapf, of
Wenonah, issued a certificate of death due to suicide.
1/25/1945
FIRE COMPANY HOLDS BANQUET. Members of the Paulsboro Fire Company held their
annual banquet at the Garden House, E. Washington and Chestnut, on Saturday. Franklin
Yandach, president of the company, introduced Ben Fish, who acted as master of ceremonies. Fish
presented, on behalf of the company, a combination blinker and siren, to Borough Fire Chief
George Ray for his car. He then introduced the guest speakers, Battalion Chief Rowe and Captain
Keller, both of the Philadelphia Fire Dept. Other attendees were Mayor Dempsey and Councilmen
Cottrell, Ross and Wohlrab.
4/12/1945
FAMILY OF 10 LEFT HOMELESS BY FIRE. A family of ten was left homeless Tuesday
when fire swept a six room dwelling on Crown Point Road, just north of the causeway into
Paulsboro. Starting with the explosion of an oil stove in the kitchen, the flames spread rapidly
throughout the house and only the prompt action of the milkman and an unidentified motorist,
who aided several of the children to safety, prevented a possible tragedy. Ernest Lee, his wife and
eight of their children occupied the dwelling. The eldest daughter, Frances, 16, was preparing
breakfast when the explosion occurred, while other members of the family were still in bed.
Alphonso Pallodino, of W. Buck Street, a milkman, who was passing at the time, saw flames
shooting from a window and ran to the house. He found Frances still standing in the kitchen,
apparently dazed. When she told him that the other children and her parents were in the bedrooms,
Pallodino, joined by the motorist, broke into the opposite side of the house and aroused the
occupants. The Lee’s lost their entire house furnishings and personal belongings in the fire. The
Paulsboro firemen fought the blaze for nearly three hours. They were forced to lay some 3500 feet
of hose to the Mantua Creek to reach the nearest water supply.
11/29/1945
POLICE OPEN PROBE OF PAULSBORO FIRE. An investigation of the fire that damaged
the municipally owned Paulsboro gas plant, at Penn Line and Jefferson, was under way today by
state police and fire officials. Councilman Franklin Yandach, chairman of the utilities committee
of the borough council, who said that an incendiary was suspected, made announcement of the
investigation. The fire, discovered shortly before midnight on Sunday, caused damage to the
machinery and equipment. The damage resulted in the borough being without a gas supply until
8:40 a.m. on Monday, when borough employees completed repairs and restored service. Yandach
said that it was found that two fires had been started in the dry grass adjoining the plant and that
the flames had spread to the plant, where they ignited the combustible materials. The Paulsboro
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and Billingsport fire companies fought the blaze for an hour. Damage to the building was slight,
but the heat, smoke and water damaged some of the equipment to the extent that it had to be torn
down and reassembled before it could be used again. Acting County Fire Marshal George Alrich,
of Williamstown, and State Police Detective Droffner began an investigation of the fire after the
suspected incendiaries were discovered on Monday.
12/14/1945
FIRE DESTROYS PART OF HILLMAN HOME. Last evening fire destroyed two rooms with
all their contents on the first floor of the Stacey Hillman home, 247 W. Buck St.
1946
7/24/1946
WOMAN DIES WHEN HOUSE EXPLODES ON BROAD ST. (See Large Article Section)
9/17/1946
PVFA AUXILIARY PLANS TO ENTERTAIN COUNTY LADIES. The regular committees
will take care of the entertainment and refreshments when the Paulsboro Fire Company Ladies
Auxiliary entertains the Gloucester County Auxiliary, September 17 th, as announced by the
president, Helen Blum. A one-man band will supply music for the occasion. Elizabeth Fish will
arrange an unusually nice refreshment surprise for the county meeting and Dorothy Cowgill is
making plans for the entertainment. Other business matters were taken up also at the meeting.
Delinquent members who refuse to pay their dues will be dropped from the rolls. The secretary
was authorized to advise them to this effect immediately. The membership at its last meeting took
this action, as there are a large number on the rolls who owe several years dues and make no effort
to attend the regular meetings. Also, the ladies have been assisting with the novelty games and
report a substantial amount on the sale of foods. Irma Lodge and Clara Conway will be cohostesses for the next regular meeting.
10/25/1946
FIRE CHIEF BALKS AT BUILDING OF STORAGE TANKS. Borough Fire Chief George
Ray balked at giving permission to the Dealer’s Oil Company, to erect four huge storage tanks on
their property, the former Weatherby Hotel, at the foot of Billingsport Road. The Mayor and
Council, at their last meeting, stated that it is not necessary for them to issue a permit to the oil
company to erect their storage tanks, as long as the fire chief gives the oil people permission. It is
done with the understanding that all State Underwriters rules and regulations have been met,
particularly the erection of high dirt fire banks around each tank, and foamite fire fighting
equipment must be on hand at all times. Chief Ray will not give permission; he will only outline
the necessary fire hazards, which must be eliminated, before he will okay the job. Chief Ray also
requested that all communications relating to permission to the Dealer’s Oil Company be written
by the Borough Solicitor.
1947
2/23/1947
FLAMES DESTROY HOUSE ON E. BUCK ST. Shortly before 3 o’clock flames destroyed a
two story frame dwelling at 33 East Buck street, occupied by Mrs. Viola Brown. The fire started
from an exploding oil heater, according to fire officials. She helped her aged mother, Mrs. Willa
Moon, to safety and removed her two grand children, Sam and Marshall McCormick, 3 and 4
years old, to a neighbor’s house across the street before the flames enveloped the interior. Mrs.
Brown summoned the Paulsboro Fire Co. over the telephone, which she had in her house. When
the firemen arrived, the interior was a mass of flames. The firemen had some trouble with a fire
hydrant at Buck and Chestnut streets, which was covered with snow, piled there when the streets
and sidewalks were cleared of snow. The only thing the family saved were a few nightclothes on
the wash line. Neighbors are caring for the homeless family. Mrs. Moon was hysterical and is
suffering from a heart ailment, which was aggravated by the fire. The firemen had to return later
as the fire rekindled. Just after midnight the high winds fanned the flames anew and the firemen
were summoned to extinguish the new blaze, arising from the embers which were not totally
extinguished in the afternoon.
3/01/1947
BOY RESCUED FROM FIRE. A seven year old boy, who had only arrived home two days ago
from the hospital, was rescued when fire destroyed his home. John Lewoc, of 106 Billingsport
Road, was carried out of his bedroom window in a blanket. One section of the dwelling was
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conducted as a restaurant by the boy’s grandmother, Katherine Pietras and his parents Mr. and
Mrs. George Lewoc. The fire was discovered about 6 p.m. when John complained that his room
was “getting hot.” The flames spread rapidly throughout the interior of the house, which was
practically gutted within a few minutes. The Paulsboro firemen, whose work was made more
difficult by a high wind that blew in from the Delaware River, saved the restaurant-café section of
the building from destruction. George Ray, borough fire chief, attributed the fire to an overheated
chimney. He estimated the damage to be about $6000.
1948
3/01/1948
SERVICE STATION AFIRE. Paulsboro and Thorofare fire companies responded to a blaze
which broke out about 3:30 p.m. at Bramble’s service station on Crown Point Road. Flames
enveloped the entire back of the garage and entered into the main part of the building. Heavy black
smoke and the lack of an easily accessible water supply hampered the fire fighters from getting the
fire under control. The fire originated when a can of anti-freeze ignited. The Paulsboro Company
had to pump water from more than a mile away from the Mantua Creek, as there was no water
supply available in the area.
11/18/1948
PAULSBORO TO HOUSE NEW WARD-LaFRANCE. Everything is in readiness for the
biggest firemen’s parade Paulsboro has ever witnessed, and promises to be one of the biggest
parades in South Jersey. Chief of the Borough’s two fire companies, George Ray, heads the
general committee as chairman. Other committee members are Claude Stetser, Stanley Jenkins,
Councilman Carl Thompson and deputy Chief of Police Herman Hanel who are all in charge of
the parade route. Willard Zee and Howard Haddock will take care of the refreshments. Harold
Rickert and Charles Hoffman head up the publicity and trophy awards. The advisory committee is
composed of Leroy Gandy and William Munyon of the fire departments and Councilmen W.
Gravino and F. Yandach. The trophies and awards are on display in the window of Neil
Dempsey’s Liquor store on Delaware and Washington streets.
11/201948
PAULSBORO FIREMEN HOLD HOUSING PARADE FOR NEW TRUCK. In what was
one of the biggest, best and longest parades ever to be staged in Paulsboro, the Paulsboro Fire
Company did themselves handsomely last Saturday afternoon. For one solid hour, fire company
after Fire Company, with apparatus, men and women in the line of march, bands and antiquated
fire engines went through the streets of Paulsboro. The parade route was up Delaware Street, then
West Broad Street, to Elizabeth Avenue, onto Thomson Avenue, and ending at the firehouse
where the housing of the new Ward LaFrance pumper took place. The weather was perfect, just
like a summer day. Thousands of people lined the streets on the parade route, and cheered the
various companies and their bands and entries. The judges had a very difficult time to award the
many fine prizes, because all of the fire companies in the line of march were outstanding. The
Judge’s stand was located on West Broad Street in the empty lot, which at one time contained the
old Masonic Club. A speaker’s stand was erected in front of the Paulsboro firehouse, where
Toastmaster Neil Dempsey, former mayor of the town introduced the speakers, and the prizes
were announced. The Fire Company's auxiliary handed out hundreds of sandwiches, coffee and
soft drinks to the visiting firemen and other guests. The members of the other companies present,
helped house the new apparatus, and a beautiful basket of flowers which decorated the front of the
engine was presented by the Assistant Fire Chiefs of Paulsboro and Billingsport, William Munyon
and Leroy Gandy, respectively. The flowers were given to Borough Fire Chief George Ray, who
was also the general chairman of the committee, which arranged the housing ceremonies and
parade. Members of string bands, which were in the parade earlier, played music in the street in
front of the firehouse, and the area took on a festive look. Everybody in town turned out to see the
parade and witness the housing ceremonies. Everyone had a grand time and remarked what a
wonderful parade the firemen put on.
12/31/1948
FIRES DESTROY HOME AND PART OF CROWN STORE ON NEW YEARS EVE. The
fire companies were kept very busy on New Year’s Eve. The first call was around 8 p.m. to 601
Greenwich Avenue where the motor on an electric refrigerator was on fire. The blaze was
extinguished with no damage. Around 9:30 p.m. a call was made from the Crown Market Store,
on Delaware and Buck streets, where the rafters in the roof next to the chimney were on fire. It
seems as if the mortar came loose from between the brick chimney and set fire to the rafters.
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While the Paulsboro Fire Co. was fighting this fire, another call came in from S. Delaware St. and
Berkley Rd. where the one story bungalow occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Bolopue was on fire. The
interior was badly damaged, as a man driving by saw the flames and smashed the front window
thinking someone was inside. He cut his wrist badly and the draft from the window really threw
the flames up. The Bolopue’s were visiting her sister in Gibbstown. Her father, George Rellyer,
drove to Gibbstown to inform them of the blaze and damage. It is believed the fire started from a
small oil heater. Claude Stetser fell off the Bolopue house roof and cut his scalp. It required 3
stitches to close the wound by Dr. H. Hunter. Around 4 a.m. the fire broke out again at the Crown
Market and damaged most of the roof and much of the canned goods and groceries in the store.
Sunday afternoon the firemen were called to W. Adams St. and Haskell Ave. to the home of
William Centofanti where an oil burner backfired and did little damage. Last Friday, before noon,
the firemen were called to the Rambo residence on W. Broad St. to a slight blaze.
1949
2/25/1949
PAULSBORO FIREMEN HOLD ANNUAL BANQUET. The annual firemen’s banquet was
held at the Paulsboro Firehouse. The catering house of McCallister’s served the dinner consisting
of turkey and all the fixings. Benjamin Fish, President, acted as toastmaster and introduced all the
visiting members of Council and the firemen. Dr. John Blair, Chaplain of the Fire Co., invoked the
blessing then gave a short talk on the work of the firemen and all the good they do in the
community. Mayor Sylvester Billbrough spoke briefly on the fine cooperation of the firemen and
thanked them for the invitation to their banquet. The toastmaster then called on the following
councilmen who spoke briefly – Joseph Mennite, William Gravino and Frank English. Mr. Fish
then introduced the following officers who in turn gave short talks: Assistant Fire Chief, Nelson
Hall; Captain, Willard Zee; Lieut., Elmer Mattson; Secretary, Joseph Bell; Treasurer, Rulon
Stowman and Vice Pres., Charles Bryant. The toastmaster then called on the oldest firemen in
attendance, Mr. Cooper Thompson, who related some of his experiences as a fireman recalling
some fires that happened more than 50 years ago. It was very interesting to hear about the first fire
fighting equipment. Mr. Fish then concluded his introductions with a few short stories that were
enjoyed by all and then turned the evening over to the entertainment committee. Charles Hoffman
introduced Frank Murtha as M.C., who rendered several popular songs and Irish Ditties, which
were well received. Other acts were accordion solos, tap dance numbers, a magician and a
ventriloquist act. The committee in charge of the banquet received a round of applause for such a
grand affair. Those who failed to attend missed one of the most enjoyable evenings to be had. The
committee consisted of Joseph Miller, Harry Myers and Charles Hoffman.
4/03/1949
FIREMEN FIGHT BLAZE AT WAISBAIN BUILDING. The local fire companies were called
out to a blaze in the roof extending over the first story window of the Rill taproom and Kasdin’s
Pharmacy, at Broad and Delaware streets. The fire occurred around 4:40 p.m. A short circuit is
believed to have set the woodwork between the roof and ceiling ablaze. Most of the woodwork
had to be cut through with axes to get to the blaze. Damage was slight.
6/01/1949
NEW FIRE TRUCK FOR BILLINGSPORT. The Billingsport Fire Company took delivery of a new
Ward LaFrance pumper that was purchased by the Borough.
1950
1/07/1950
DEFECTIVE WIRING CAUSES FIRE AT OSWALD HOME. Both fire companies were
called out at 8:45 a.m., during the high wind and cold weather, to the home of Raymond Oswald,
at the foot of Mantua Avenue, where defective wiring set fire to the walls of the two-story frame
dwelling. The wood smoldered on the outside and between the walls. A neighbor, Nicholas Blum,
saw the smoke and entered the Oswald home, and awakened the three sons who were sleeping.
The parents were in Philadelphia watching a parade. The Blums escorted the boys to safety and
turned in the alarm for the fire department. Damage was slight, although it could have been a very
serious blaze, because of the high wind, if it hadn’t been for the quick and alert work of the Blums.
1/12/1950
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TWO SMALL FIRES. There were two small fires in two days for the local firemen. On Saturday
afternoon the fire companies were called out to a grass fire at 2 nd and Greenwich. On Sunday,
around 2 p.m. they were called out again for a grass fire around 5th and Greenwich.
3/02/1950
PAULSBORO FIRE CO. OBSERVES 50th ANNIVERSARY. The PVFA #1 observed its
fiftieth anniversary with a banquet attended by nearly 100 fire company and auxiliary members.
Assemblyman Hugh McShorter, the principal speaker, gave an interesting talk on the history of
fire fighting and added that as long as this country has organizations like the volunteer fire
company, that are dedicated to the service of the community, that we will survive as a democracy.
Another feature of the program was the presentation of a new, silk, embroidered marching banner
to the Fire Company by the Ladies Auxiliary. Mrs. Fred Cowgill made the presentation and Vice
President Charles Bryant, who was standing in for the President, Franklin Prasch, who was unable
to attend, accepted the banner. Among those who gave brief remarks were Mayor Joseph Enos,
Councilmen Edward Martin and Joseph Mennite; J.Tyron, president of the County Firemen’s
Assoc.; Daniel Pote, secretary of the County Assoc.; Dr. Henry Sinexon, who was Paulsboro’s fire
chief for 21 years; Milford Titus, Rulon Stowman and Walter Thomson, members of the fire
company and Borough Fire Chief William Munyon. Ben Fish served as the toastmaster. With
Frank Murtha as master of ceremonies, a program of entertainment was presented. Included on the
program was Clarence Plattner, at the piano; Cook and Taylor, comedy team; Peggy Martin,
interpretive dancer and Gus Bahn, a magician. Films of the Paulsboro firemen’s parade housing of
their new truck were shown by Fred Cowgill.
4/20/1950
FLAMES DESTROY STORE & BAR IN PAULSBORO. (See Large Article Section)
5/22/1950
FLASH FIRE DESTROYS OIL CO. PUMP ROOM. Around 2 a.m. a flash fire occurred in a
pump room of a dewaxing unit at the Socony-Vacum Oil Co. refinery. The flash resulted in a
stubborn fire, which took several hours to extinguish. Due to excellent cooperation, employees
and supervisors were able to confine the fire to the pump room. The resulting damage was to
pumps, instruments and other equipment in the pump room. The cost of the damage has not yet
been determined. No injuries were sustained. The local fire companies were called to stand-by in
case they were needed but did not go into service.
7/18/1950
FLAMES DAMAGE GARAGE AT FEGER’S COAL YARD. The fire department was called
out about 7:30 p.m. for a fire of unknown origin that damaged the garage at the Feger Coal Yard.
The building, formerly used as an icehouse, was insulated with cork, which was afire. The firemen
were obliged to take the cork off the ceiling and the back of the building. Acting Fire Chief
William Hillman said he was unable to estimate the damage. Two trucks in the garage were badly
burned. Mrs. Feger and her family were away at the time of the fire. The next morning, around six
o’clock, flames again were noticed by Wilson Pfeiffer, a dog warden who was cruising around
looking for stray dogs. He summoned the fire companies out and they extinguished the blaze in
quick order.
8/17/1950
FLAMES DESTROY SWEDESBORO AVE. HOUSE. (See Large Article Section)
10/12/1950
FIREMEN HOLD OPEN HOUSE FOR FIRE PREVENTION. The Paulsboro Fire Co. will
hold open house at the firehouse at 6:30 tonight. There will be a public demonstration on the
“Techniques of Fighting an Oil Fire”. The demonstration will be held in a field across from the
sand-wash, near the new highway. The firehouse will be open to the public all day. The fire
apparatus will be on display. The posters made by the schoolchildren will also be on display.
Willard Zee is chairman of the event and is assisted by William Jones and Charles Hoffman.
1951
1/11/1951
NEW AMBULANCE TO BE PRESENTED TO PAULSBORO. The $7,000 Community
Ambulance, purchased with funds raised in a town wide drive, and with $1,000 borrowed by the
two fire companies, will be officially presented to Mayor Joseph Enos and the Borough Council
this Saturday afternoon. The two fire companies, all organizations, groups and individuals who
aided in the drive for funds will march at 1:30 PM from the Billingsport firehouse to the Paulsboro
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firehouse, where Norman Mower, chairman of the ambulance drive, will make the presentation.
The new Cadillac ambulance has been in use, though unofficially.
1/13/1951
FIRE ALMOST DESTROYS NEW APARTMENT BUILDING. Had the William Jones
family arrived home 5 minutes later they would have been without a home and furniture. A
defective oil burner flared up and sent flames through the heater ducts and into their apartment at
the Berkley Manor. As the family arrived home and opened the door, smoke billowed out and
flames were discovered. The local fire companies were summoned and police officer James Lloyd
along with Wilson Pieffer, a borough employee, responded to the call in the police car and used a
small hand extinguisher to smother some of the flames until the fire apparatus arrived. Borough
Fire Chief William Munyon investigated and found that the oil burner had been repaired several
times, and felt that leaking oil inside the heater caught on fire and flared through the hot air ducts.
He thought that the automatic electric control might not have been working. Firemen received a
number of complaints from tenants of the same rental development that their oil burners were not
working properly, despite numerous repairs and adjustments. Most of the complaints were to the
effect that the oil burners must be defective.
1/29/1951
FLAMES DAMAGE SWEDESBORO AVENUE HOME. William Johnson, of Berkley Road,
suffered a leg injury while aiding in removing furnishings from a burning dwelling at 1516
Swedesboro Avenue around noontime. The fire, caused by a defective chimney flue, swept the
four-room dwelling, which was occupied by the Ulysses Founchious family. An alarm for a grass
fire on W. Adams St. was received at the same time the firemen were called to the house fire. No
one was at home at the house when the fire was discovered. Johnson was driving by when he saw
smoke, and with the aid of some neighbors started to remove some of the furniture from the front
room. He slipped on the concrete pavement in front of the house and it was first thought that he
had fractured a leg. He was rushed to the hospital in the community ambulance. Damage to the
house was extensive, as a large hole had burned through the roof. The firemen soon had the fire
under control not long after the alarm was sent in.
1/31/1951
NEW ADDITION FOR BILLINGSPORT FIREHOUSE. The Billingsport Fire Company will
pay $5200.00 for an addition to be added to their building. They are also purchasing a utility truck.
3/23/1951
GRASS & ROOF FIRES KEEP FIREMEN BUSY. A grass fire on Good Friday morning at
10:30 necessitated the local Fire Company to rush through the busy Delaware Street business
section. The grass fire, which threatened the town, was at Penn Line Road and Capitol Street. It
was extinguished without any serious damage. The firemen were called out again at 1 PM for a
grass fire on Berkley Road. About the same time, a call was received from Sommer’s Row on the
riverfront that the roof of the home occupied by Thomas Haddock was on fire. The roof blaze was
extinguished before it could do much damage.
4/04/1951
OIL HEATER FIRE ON PENN LINE RD. The fire companies were called out Wednesday
evening to the home of Milton Rowe, on the corner of W. Washington and Penn Line, when their
heater in the cellar backfired and filled the house with heavy smoke. Damaged resulted to the oil
burner in the heater only.
5/01/1951
DAMAGE TO FIRE TRUCK. Councilman Samuel McCall told members of council Tuesday
night that he did not want to frighten anyone, but that he had been informed by Borough Fire
Chief William Munyan that several acts of what might be termed “sabotage” had occurred to
municipality owned property. It was reported that gravel had been found in the pump transmission
of the Paulsboro Fire Company’s Ward LaFrance pumper, temporarily putting it out of
commission. Water valves were also tampered with along with gas being stolen. Councilman
McCall asked that the FBI be called in.
5/23/1951
CAR ON FIRE IN GARAGE. The local fire companies were called out on Wednesday evening
to a fire at 443 Beacon Avenue, where a station wagon was on fire in the garage. The burning
vehicle was pulled out of the garage and was badly damaged by the flames.
6/06/1951
TAXPAYER’S COMPLAIN ABOUT USE OF FIRE ENGINE. “The Record” received 2
letters complaining about the use of a Paulsboro fire engine in the wedding of member Robert
Hurst to Shirley Dare. “Last Saturday evening one of Paulsboro’s fire engines dashed through the
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main business section of the town with siren blowing and at a high rate of speed. I wondered what
was taking place and found out later that the fire engine was serenading a fireman who got married
that afternoon. I am wondering whether it was such a smart idea to run the fire engine at a high
rate of speed through Delaware Street. We see by your paper that the firemen of the Paulsboro Fire
Co. need a new fire engine. What for, to serenade marrying firemen? As I understand it, the fire
engines are public property. To use a $10,000 publicly owned apparatus to serenade one of its
members is not good public policy. Why should anyone use Borough property, purchased with
taxpayer’s money, for such a purpose? I can’t see it. What do you think Mr. Editor? I pay plenty of
taxes and don’t like to see them wasted in burning gasoline to ride around town. A Paulsboro
Taxpayer.” “It was most unpleasant to be rudely awakened by the sounding of the fire engine siren
on Saturday when the fire engine was arriving at a wedding. It was very frightening business to
anyone living in the neighborhood. At first no one had any idea as to what was happening. In the
serious times in which we are living, it seems entirely out of good taste to use such equipment for
a most gay affair. Not only was this piece of fire equipment used for the wedding, bit I understand
that the Borough Police car serviced the Legion Hall during the day, carrying supplies. It is hoped
that the American legion Hall will not continue to have activities that keep the people in the
neighborhood awake way into Sunday morning. Yours Sincerely, A Reader."
6/25/1951
HUGE FIRE DESTROYS OIL CO. WAREHOUSE. Fire of undetermined origin broke out at
2:30 in the morning in a product warehouse at the Socony-Vacum Oil Co. refinery. The two story
and basement structure of reinforced concrete was heavily damaged in the ensuing 12 hour blaze
which raged throughout the building. The flames originated on the ground floor and gained rapid
headway through the stocks of packaged lubricating oil and wax products. The refinery called for
assistance and the Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Companies, followed by the Gibbstown
Company, joined the refinery fire fighting force in slowing the progress of the fire. Fanned by a
steady breeze and augmented by the bursting of oil drums under the intense heat, the imminent
danger of spreading to other installations made it necessary to seek aid from the port area. Early in
the day, two fire boats from the Philadelphia Navy Yard, the fire boat “Franklin” from the
Philadelphia Fire Dept. and two harbor tugs, equipped for fire fighting, added the tremendous
volumes of water which finally extinguished the flames about 6 o’clock in the evening. Mr.
Sinclair, Manager of the Paulsboro Refinery, in expressing the company’s appreciation for the fine
cooperation of the many groups who assisted in extinguishing the fire, mentioned in particular the
local fire companies who fought the fire. Mr. Sinclair commended the efforts of Mr. J. Williams,
the County Fire Marshal. The efforts of the crews of the fireboats were also praised.
6/28/1951
LIGHTNING STRIKES FIRE SIREN. Lightning, from a bad storm that hit the area, struck the
wires leading to the fire siren at the Paulsboro Firehouse and it blew for several minutes before it
had to be manually turned off. Some residents thought an air raid drill was being conducted.
7/18/1951
WOMAN DIES OF BURNS FROM GAS EXPLOSION IN HOUSE. Mrs. Elizabeth
Chapman, 30, of 212 W. Washington St., died in Underwood Hospital from burns she suffered
when gas exploded in her home. Mrs. Chapman, on her return from the Paulsboro Dress
Company, Gill Avenue, where she was employed, went to the cellar to light the gas hot water
heater. When she struck the match, the explosion occurred setting her clothing afire. She ran
outside and a neighbor, Ralph Holmes, of Adams St., rolled her on the ground to extinguish the
flames. Another neighbor, Robert Kidd, took her to the hospital where Dr. Harry Nelson treated
her. Stanley Chapman, the woman’s husband, was summoned from his job in Pedricktown.
Windows in the cellar, living room and dining room of the Chapman house were shattered and
plaster fell from the walls in those rooms and the bedrooms. Chapman told neighbors that he and
his wife have smelled gas for some time, and that men from the borough’s utility department have
been to the house several times to see if they could find the leaks. All new gas mains were laid on
the streets about 5 months ago as a protective measure since leaks had been found in the mains.
The local fire companies were summoned to put out the remaining small fires.
9/06/1951
PORCH FIRE ON DAYTON AVE. The Paulsboro fire companies were called out 2:30
Thursday morning, when a sofa on the porch of the Hamilton home, at 5 Dayton Avenue, burst
into flames. The family smelled the smoke, but neighbors who saw the flames sent in the fire
alarm. No severe damage was done to the porch, though the couch was destroyed.
9/26/1951
44
FIRE AT OIL COMPANY. The fire department was called out Wednesday afternoon around
2:45 p.m., to the Patterson Oil Company where one of the oil tanks was on fire. The firemen
quickly extinguished the blaze.
10/05/1951
FIRE COMPANIES PUT ON DEMONSTRATION. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire
companies will present at the high school field, a fire-fighting and life saving exhibition,
demonstrating the latest tactics and fire-fighting methods. A practice every citizen should
familiarize themselves with, to have a better understanding of our volunteer fire unit’s activities.
12/03/1951
CHILDREN PLAYING WITH MATCHES SET FIRE TO HOUSE. A five year old and his
three year old sister were playing with matches, or looking for something in a closet with lighted
matches, and set fire to the clothes in the closet and completely destroyed the interior of the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Nielsen, at the corner of 2nd Street and Greenwich Avenue around 11:30 in
the morning. Freddie and Elizabeth had the presence of mind to run out of the blazing house. The
mother was in the backyard hanging clothes. An open stairway, with its ever-present draught,
helped to spread the blaze very quickly. Neighbors summoned the fire companies, which were
able to save the outside of the house. The house itself was insured, but the clothes and the
furniture were not. The family was only able to salvage one rug and a couch from the ruins. They
are staying with friend and neighbor Mr. H. Green, who lives across the street. The fire companies
will contribute $25.00 each to the stricken family.
12/10/1951
FLAMES DESTROY WOODEN TRESTLE AT SAND WASH. Flames, which started around
4:30 in the afternoon, destroyed the tumble down wooden trestle, which has been in discard for the
past 10 years at the Sand and Gravel hole on S. Delaware Street. The firemen played water on it to
keep the blaze from spreading. The dry timber from the trestle, full of iron bolts and bars, burned
to the ground. The fire attracted hundreds of employees from the plants in the vicinity, as they
were leaving work around this time. They watched the Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies
pour water on the blazing structure, which resembled a huge bonfire at its height. William Strang,
manager of the Paulsboro Transportation Company, the owners of the property, said that
employees had been removing equipment from the building yesterday to move to a new sight.
While the firemen were battling this blaze, another call came in on a grass fire at S. Delaware
Street and Clarksboro Road, and one of the fire engines rushed to that sector to put out the grass
blaze.
1952
1/10/1952
ACCIDENT CAUSES FIRE. The firemen were called out at 9 p.m. Wednesday evening to
Broad Street, in front of the Hill Theatre, where a car was on fire after a collision.
2/07/1952
OIL BURNER CAUSES FIRE ON THOMSON AVE. The Paulsboro Fire Department
responded to a call at the home of Frank DeSimone, of 119 Thomson Avenue, at 8:45 p.m.
Thursday, when the oil burner in the cellar flashed back when an attempt was made to re-light the
burner. No real damage was caused by the blaze.
2/19/1952
ANOTHER HEATER FIRE. The heater in the cellar of the home of Hugh Williamson, Apt.
12A, Berkley Manor Apartments, backfired and exploded on Tuesday evening. Fortunately the
apartment did not catch fire and no one was injured. The fire companies were called out.
2/27/1952
“BUSY” TELEPHONE DELAYS FIRE ALARM. A delay in receiving an alarm because a
telephone user refused to get off the line was responsible for a fire loss that amounted to $8000,
firemen said. The fire swept the home of Alphonso Brooks, 110 W. Buck St., at 4 p.m. destroying
the interior of the two-story dwelling and all its contents. A neighbor, Mrs. G. Johns, of 108 W.
Buck St., attempted to telephone the fire department. The party line was in use and despite a plea
by Mrs. Johns that it was an emergency, the persons using the phone refused to stop talking. Mrs.
Johns then ran across the street to another house, from where the alarm was finally sent in.
Meanwhile, the fire, which Mrs. Johns first saw in the dining room, had spread throughout the
whole interior. Fire Chief William Hillman, said that an investigation would be made in
connection with the incident of the telephone. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks were at work at the time of the
fire, and their nine months old son, Kirk, was at the home of his grandmother.
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2/29/1952
TWO MEN BURNED TO DEATH IN SHACK. (See Large Article Section)
3/02/1952
COUCH FIRE DAMAGES HOME. The fire companies were called out at 2:30 am Saturday to
a fire on the first floor apartment of the home of Mrs. James Carthan, of Swedesboro Avenue. A
couch was on fire and extensive damage was done to the room. Firemen believe a lit cigarette that
fell onto the couch started the fire. A family on the second floor was forced to flee by the smoke.
3/08/1952
HOUSE ON MUSKRAT ROW DESTROYED BY FLAMES. A family of nine was left
homeless after a fire swept a two-story dwelling along the east bank of the Mantua Creek around
2:30 in the afternoon. Ben Pierce, wife, and seven children occupied the house. The Paulsboro,
Billingsport and Thorofare fire companies responded to the alarm and checked the blaze, but not
before the roof was destroyed and the upper floor was wrecked. This was the third time the roof
was set on fire, presumably from a hole in the chimney. It was repaired with the exception of the
chimney. Fortunately the fire occurred in the daytime, as had the roof caught fire at night, some of
the little children in the family might have been burned to death. Only the week before two men
met their death only a few yards away on the Paulsboro dump, in a tar paper shack. It is believed
that the present house cannot be used any longer for housing accommodations. Paulsboro firemen
were also called out for two grass fires on Saturday.
3/14/1952
CHICKENS KILLED IN FIRE. About 10:30 a.m. fire destroyed a brooder house and killed
several chicks at the residence of Mr. Wayman, of 1 Dayton Avenue. Estimated loss was $700.
3/20/1952
COUNCIL TO BUY NEW FIRE ENGINE FOR PAULSBORO FIRE CO. Borough council
decided at their meeting to send a letter of intent to the American LaFrance Co., stating it is
planning to buy a pumper for the Paulsboro Fire Dept. The action was taken after a long
discussion. William Hillman, Borough Fire Chief, said members of the company had made up
their minds that they wanted only an American LaFrance fire truck. He added that the present
American LaFrance engine had been in service for 23 years. He said that the firemen had been
kicked around for the past five years and he felt they were entitled to the machine they asked for.
Mayor Enos, who presided at the meeting, stated that he felt in all fairness to the taxpayers that the
fire chief should submit all bids and to show value for value. If the council can afford it, they will
purchase the machine that is desired. Councilman Alex Schwan, a member of the Public Safety
Committee and also an active firemen, stated there was no comparison with other makes, and that
he too was in council to save the taxpayers money and to get the most value for their money.
Schwan felt that the firemen who risk their lives daily should be given what he termed the best,
and that it was the recommendation of the committee that this particular make is purchased.
Representatives from the Ward LaFrance and the American LaFrance companies were present and
the latter spoke at a great length. Mayor Enos was still not convinced that adequate consideration
had been given. Councilman Robert Cassel said he thought it to be “the most undemocratic way to
consider the purchase”, and agreed 100% with the mayor. After much discussion, chairman Public
Safety, Archie Tedeski said the council had gotten the “cart before the horse”, and that the
committee had considered all makes and bids, and had come to the conclusion that this standard
equipment justified the difference in cost. The finance committee was authorized to meet with the
Borough Solicitor to prepare the proper ordinance. A motion by Joseph Mennite, president of
council, that the Solicitor, William Kramer, to prepare an ordinance authorizing $11,000 in bond
anticipation notes. Motion carried unanimously.
4/24/1952
LOCAL FIRE CHIEFS MEET WITH ROAD OFFICIALS. William Hillman, Borough Fire
Chief and Assistant Fire Chief Willard Zee attended a meeting with officials of the New Jersey
Turnpike Authority at the Manor House in Fieldsboro, N. J. Tuesday evening together with chiefs
of other fire companies from other South Jersey communities. The purpose of the meeting was to
discuss ways and means of expediting fire and ambulance calls on the turnpike. At the present
time all fire apparatus and ambulances must enter the turnpike at interchanges which are between
12 and 15 miles apart and in many cases valuable time is lost getting to the scene of the fire or
accident. The firemen suggested the installation of emergency gates at various points near the
main highways between the interchanges and also crossovers through the islands between the
north and south bound traffic lanes. Chief Hillman suggested an emergency gate be installed on
the turnpike at the Clarksboro-Jefferson Road underpass. As it is now the Paulsboro fire
46
companies must go to the Swedesboro or Woodbury interchanges to respond to a call on the
turnpike.
5/01/1952
PAULSBORO OBSERVES SILENT ALARM DURING ALERT. According to Kenneth
Adams, who was in the Borough Hall Tuesday morning during the air raid alert, it was stated that
the fire whistles were not blown because they were over 21 years old and that the Chief of Police
H. Hanel, Fire Chief W. Hillman decided Sunday at a special session not to blow the siren, but to
send the Civilian Defense Police Force to stop traffic among other things. The local officials
thought that if the two fire sirens were blown for a continuos three minutes that they would vibrate
apart. Council has already ordered two more powerful sirens and will install one in the hill section
either out Clarksboro Road way, or out Swedesboro Avenue. The second would be installed near
the railroad. However, the present fire sirens will be blown for the full three minutes in case of a
real raid. The thought was to save the present fire sirens so that we would have them handy in case
of a serious fire. Civilian Defense leader Russell Irwin stated that everything functioned smoothly.
He plans to expand the CD corps soon and a meeting will be called to organize them.
6/27/1952
FOUR-YEAR-OLD BOY DROWNS IN MANTUA CREEK. (See Large Article Section)
7/03/1952
SMALL SHACK RAZED BY FIRE. The local fire companies were called out Thursday
evening at 7:30 p.m. to a fire which destroyed a shack built by children in back of the Texaco
Station on W. Broad Street.
8/10/1952
BED FIRE CAUSES DAMAGE. The firemen were called out Sunday morning at 4 am to 638 N.
Delaware Street where a bed in a first floor bedroom caught fire from a dropped cigarette. Damage
was extensive to the room. No one was hurt.
9/04/1952
FIREMEN COMPLAIN TO COUNCIL. Members of the Paulsboro Fire Company complained
to Councilman Archie Tedeski that a very dangerous condition exists at their firehouse on
Swedesboro Avenue. The steeple, which houses the fire siren, is on the verge of collapse. The
company had experts look it over and was advised that the steeple should be demolished
immediately. The problem as to where to house the siren then arose.
9/10/1952
TWO CARS DESTROYED BY FIRE. The Paulsboro fire department responded to a call
around 4 a.m. to 222 W. Washington Street, where two cars were destroyed by flames in the
garage of Mike Kavaliunas. The garage was also severely damaged.
9/26/1952
CHIMNEY CAUSES FIRE ON JEFFERSON ST. The fire department was called out to
extinguish a smoldering fire between the walls in the home of Dominick Misero, of 137 W.
Jefferson Street, on Friday about 2:15 p.m. An overheated chimney caused the blaze.
10/01/1952
FIRE DRILL AT SCHOOL. The two local fire companies will observe fire prevention week
with a fire drill at the Buck Street School on Monday evening at 6 PM. Two of the Paulsboro fire
engines will go into action as if the school was on fire. The Billingsport Fire Co., will standby at
their appointed place in case they are needed. Delaware Street from Broad to Adams will be
blocked off during the drill, which will last about an hour. Besides the fire drill, regular fire drills
will be held in all of the local schools. Pupils in the Loudenslager and Buck St., schools in the 7 th
and 8th grades will be given prizes for essays on Fire Prevention: in the 4 th through 6th grades, Fire
Prevention posters. The kids in the 1st through 3 rd grades will be taken on tours of the firehouse.
Alex Mogar heads up the Fire Prevention committee with the help of Willard Zee, Bill Jones and
Charles Hoffman. Joseph Hurst is president of the firemen.
10/20/1952
SMALL COTTAGE DESTROYED BY FLAMES. On Monday evening the fire companies
were called out to W. Jefferson Street, near the gas plant, around 9 p.m., where a defective
chimney set fire to the small cottage of Harry Harris, and was totally destroyed. Mr. Harris was
unable to save anything.
10/21/1952
PAYMENTS TO FIRE CO. HELD. The payment of $350 to each of the two local fire
companies was held up. The payment was made each year so that the fire companies would not
hold out-of-town carnivals, and the money went to their general fund. Council members explained
47
that the fire fund was exhausted and they were not going to jail for over expending the account,
above the original appropriation.
10/23/1952
FIREMEN GIVE PRIZES TO PUPILS. The fire department announced the prizewinners in the
Fire Prevention Week contest among the pupils of the local schools. Charles Hoffman heads the
company as assistant chief, and the committee was composed of Alex Mogar, Willard Zee,
William Jones and Hoffman. They wish to express their thanks to everyone who co-operated in
this project, especially the teachers in the various schools. Winners of the contest will be entered
in the countywide contest. Winners in the poster contest were as follows: William DiTonno, 1 st
Place
; Dale Stringfellow, 2nd; Ronald Scuderi, 3rd; Jay Bell, 4th; Diane Knestaut, 5th. This contest
was for pupils in the 4 to 6 grades. Winners in the essay contest for 7 to 8 grades were Loretta
Kushall, 1st; Betty Smith, 2nd; David Leash, 3rd; Alice DeBerry, 4th; Regina Yandach, 5th.
11/23/1952
FIRE AT CHURCH. The local fire companies were called out around 6:30 p.m. Sunday night to
Swedesboro and Berkley Road, where defective wiring set fire inside the little Bethel AME
Church. The smoldering blaze was quickly extinguished with some slight damage to the church,
which at one time was a barn, but converted to a church. The next day the firemen responded to
put out a grass fire in the rear of the Paulsboro Manor apartments around 3:30 p.m.
12/14/1952
BUILDING RAZED BY FIRE IN THOROFARE. Fire of undetermined origin destroyed a
building at the White Swan Trailer Park, a mile east of Paulsboro, in West Deptford Township
Sunday morning. Thorofare and Paulsboro fire companies responded to the alarm. George Zimm,
who had purchased the trailer camp a week ago, told the firemen that the fire had spread so fast he
had to pull the trailer in which he live out of the way. The fire gutted the building, which housed
an oil burner and contained lavatories and a workshop.
12/18/1952
FIRE IN HOME STARTED BY KIDS. The local fire department was called out at 6 p.m.
Thursday evening to 214 Billings Avenue, where small children set fire to a closet while playing
with matches. Little damage was done.
1953
1/08/1953
CHIEF HILLMAN REPORTS FIRE LOSS FOR 1952. Chief of the local fire department,
William Hillman, stated in his annual report to the Borough Council that the fire loss in 1952
amounted to $13,610. He cited the fact that there had been 78 grass fires; 16 dwellings; 1 electric
stove; 1 electric motor; 8 automobiles; 3 dump fires; 2 false alarms and 4 out of town calls. The
community ambulance was in use 198 times, traveled 4,793 miles and $688.90 was donated
towards the upkeep of the ambulance.
1/13/1953
RABBIT HOUSE BURNS. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called out Tuesday night about
9:30 p.m. to 249 Nassau Avenue. Flames destroyed a rabbit hutch in the rear of the house. The pet
rabbit that occupied the hutch was burned to death.
3/02/1953
FIRE AT WATER WORKS. The local fire companies were called to the Water Works building
Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. where the chimney was on fire. The chimney was badly damaged
and the following day could not be used. Because of no heat in the building, the Welfare Offices
were moved to the Borough Hall Annex on E. Broad Street.
3/14/1953
AIR RAID DRILL IN PAULSBORO. The firemen were in action in a very short time after the
Air Raid siren blew Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock. The firemen quickly hooked up to the fire
hydrant and dragged hose to the rear of the Buck Street school where they played water on an
imaginary fire.
5/06/1953
LADIES AUXILIARY PURCHASE EQUIPMENT FOR FIREMEN. The Ladies Auxiliary of
the Paulsboro Fire Company recently purchased a Demand Inhalator for the firemen and presented
it to them.
5/26/1953
48
LIGHTNING STRIKES HOUSE. The home of Roy Myers, of Billings Avenue, was struck by
lightning on Tuesday morning. There was a break in the gas pipe and the area behind the stove
caught fire. The lightning also caused all the fuses to blow out in the home. The fire companies
were summoned but did not go into service.
7/27/1953
CAR ON FIRE IN LOT. The fire department was called out Monday evening to 340 W. Buck
Street where a vehicle in the car lot of Al Pallidino caught on fire. The damage was kept to the
used car.
8/30/1953
TORCH SETS FIRE TO HOUSE. The local fire companies were called out around 9 a.m. on
Monday to 448 Thomson Avenue where a plumber was using an acetylene torch accidentally
caught the house on fire. The blaze was put out before the firemen arrived.
10/15/1953
BEDROOM FIRE. The firemen were called out Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. to a house on the
corner of Swedesboro Avenue and Berkley Road, owned by Anita Brooks. A cigarette set fire to a
mattress and the flames damaged the bedroom.
10/21/1953
FIRE AT PATTERSON OIL CO. The firemen were called out Wednesday afternoon around
1:30 p.m. for a fire at the Patterson Oil Company, where the sludge dump, full of waste oil, was on
fire. The blaze was extinguished without any damage.
10/22/1953
FIRE LOSS ONLY $740 SO FAR IN 1953. At a very brief meeting of the Borough Council, a
report was read by Public Safety Director Kenneth Adams, from William Hillman, chief of the fire
companies. Chief Hillman stated that the fire loss in Paulsboro was very low during the first 9
months of the year, at only $740. The two fire companies have been called out to 69 fires. 45 of
them were grass fires. Two fire drills were held and both were very successful. The two fire
companies have 4 fire trucks, with 3 of them fairly new. A 1929 American LaFrance is in poor
condition and needs replacing. Adams informed his colleagues that the fire companies have over
7000 feet of hose and 30 active firemen. The community ambulance made 181 calls, traveled 1347
miles and put in 346 man-hours so far this year, Hillman said. Councilman Adams stated that the
volunteer firemen who operate the ambulance appreciate when contributions are given to the
ambulance fund. The money donated by the users of the ambulance is used to buy supplies and
equipment. However, many people use the ambulance and the volunteer services of the firemen
and do not give anything. In fact, some folks call the ambulance when they could have been taken
to the hospital in a private car. There are some that do not even offer to pay for the bridge tolls
when taken to Philadelphia. The co-operation of the public, using the free community ambulance,
driven by volunteer firemen who do not get a cent for their time, has been poor. Chief Hillman
stated that the ambulance was called out 21 times in September, and only 2 people gave a donation
of $5 each. Adams stated that the fire department and ambulance are well equipped.
10/23/1953
FIREMEN BEGIN FUND DRIVE. The annual fund drive of the Paulsboro Fire Co. will start
tonight and will be signaled by a blast of the fire siren. Uniformed firemen will canvass every
home in Paulsboro for contributions for the next three nights. Donation envelopes have already
been distributed. If any home is missed during the drive, you may leave your contribution at the
bank. The members of the PVFA #1 receive no compensation for their duties, and the funds
realized from the current drive go toward the maintenance of the building and equipment of the
Fire Company.
1954
2/09/1954
CAR & DUMP FIRE. The local fire companies were called out early Tuesday afternoon to a car
that was aflame at 107 W. Madison Street. Later that evening they were summoned to the town
dump at the foot of DuPont Avenue, for a fire where the heavy smoke was creating a nuisance.
2/11/1954
DRUM & BUGLE CORP FORMED. The Paulsboro Fire Company now has a Drum and Bugle
Corps consisting of 48 boys and girls. Rehearsal for drummers is on Tuesday, for buglers it is on
Thursday. The following firemen have been elected to the executive board: Bernard Lotstein,
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Musical Director; Alex Mogar, Assistant Musical Director; Harry Myers, Drill Master; William
Jones, Assistant Drill Master; John Kincade, Quartermaster.
3/08/1954
HOUSE FIRE ON ADAMS STREET. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called to the home
of Elsie Tedeski, 118 W. Adams Street, by an alarm of fire at 8:05 a.m. Monday. Mrs. Tedeski
discovered a fire smoldering under the sofa. The prompt answer by the fire companies prevented
what might have been a serious fire. The blaze is believed to have originated from a defective
electrical wire that ran underneath the sofa. Only the sofa and rug were damaged by the fire.
5/22/1954
CAR FIRE INJURES 2 FIREMEN. Alex Mogar, Assistant Fire Chief, and John Whitelam,
Captain, both of the Paulsboro Fire Company, both received burns of the hands Saturday evening.
They were putting out a fire on the car of Augustino Fabrizzio of Gibbstown. They were treated at
the Underwood Hospital in Woodbury. The fire was under the rear wheels and the burns were
from hot metal. The possible cause of the fire was overheated brakes. Also, on Friday the firemen
were called out around 9:15 p.m. to the Baptist Church at 7th and Greenwich where a small garage
burned down.
6/26/1954
LIGHTNING STRIKE SETS HOUSE ABLAZE. On Saturday afternoon, lightning struck the
two-story cottage at 141 Lena Avenue, occupied by Ludy Mae Trout during a storm. Mrs. Trout
and her 3 children, Sheila Ann 4, Martha Louise 3, and Lola Marie 9 months, were on their way to
the store when the storm came up. They turned back to put the windows down, and when they
arrived they found the upper story of their home ablaze and a sizeable hole knocked out of the wall
in a second story bedroom. Neighbors including Charley Amey, John Amey, John Hatchett and E.
B. Bowman formed a bucket brigade and put the blaze out. They threw a blazing mattress out of
the window. The lightning bolt knocked out the wiring next door at the home of Joseph Luzak, as
well as the telephone. At the third house on the avenue, the bolt struck the wiring and damaged the
refrigerator and also set fire to the house. The occupant, Mr. Bowman, was sitting on the porch
when he saw the Trout house afire. He ran to aid in putting the fire out there. His two-year-old son
Billy was asleep in the bedroom on the first floor of his cottage. His sister in law, Earline Taylor,
11, ran to the Trout home and told Bowman his house was afire. He ran home and got Billy out of
the house and doused the blaze with a bucket. The local fire companies responded and made sure
that the fires were out.
7/15/1954
DRUM CORP WINS AWARDS. The Paulsboro Fire Company’s Drum and Bugle Corps
recently won awards in two Firemen Parade’s that they participated in. They took 2 nd place, and
$150 cash prize, in the Ambler, Pa. parade that included competition with 60 other groups that
were competing. They took 1st place, and a $100 prize, as the best dressed Drum and Bugle Corps
in the parade held in Earlton. The Paulsboro Fire Company won gold cups as 1 st prizes for the best
looking 750 GPM fire engine in the line of march, and the best Fire Co., with the best-looking
Drum and Bugle Corps.
7/25/1954
GRASS & HOTEL FIRE. The fire companies were called out Sunday to a grass fire at Broad
and Vanneman. They were called again in the afternoon to the Brick Hotel, at 3 rd and Billingsport
Road, where a fire was quickly extinguished in a room on the second floor.
8/05/1954
BECAUSE OF “THE RECORD”, PVFA MAY NOT BE IN PARADE. According to a letter
sent to the Billingsport Fire Co., by a majority of the members of the Paulsboro Fire Co., who
attended a meeting two weeks ago, they, the Paulsboro men, may not take part in the parade to be
staged by the Billingsport company and the Paulsboro Jubilee Committee, if the Billingsport
company cooperated with “The Record.” The incident started on Thursday, July 22 nd, after the
Record published a story headlined as “Billingsport Fire Company votes not to allow outside
groups in parade.” Sometime between that time and Monday evening a group of Paulsboro
firemen met and the majority voted to send a letter to their fellow members from Billingsport to
stand by their guns. The Paulsboro firemen implied in the said letter that if Billingsport gave in to
outside floats and groups, as advocated by The Record, the Paulsboro firemen may not cooperate
with their brother firemen. This put Billingsport on the spot, as they had counted on the Paulsboro
men to help out with entertaining the visiting firemen and their ladies, and to take part in their 50 th
anniversary parade, which is going to be part of Paulsboro’s Golden Jubilee, as both the Borough
of Paulsboro and the Billingsport Fire Co. will be 50 years old this year. In the meantime publisher
Nick Isaac was invited to attend a meeting of the BVFA on the 26 th, at which time a vote was to be
50
taken to determine whether the fire company would change its mind and accept floats other than
those of visiting firemen. One of the Billingsport firemen made a motion that outside floats of
organizations only be accepted in the firemen’s parade. And also that all-commercial floats would
be formed in a second division with someone from the Jubilee Committee in charge. Before the
motion was acted on for a vote, another member urged that the letter from the PVFA be read with
the admonition “Remember what the Paulsboro Company wrote.” Wes McGill, vice president
stated that it was a private letter to the BVFA, and since there were outsiders in the audience, he
did not think the letter should be read. The outsiders were Isaac and Sam McCall, chairman of the
Jubilee Committee. Finally it was agreed not to read the letter in public. The majority at that
meeting of the BVFA voted in favor of the motion to allow organization floats in the parade, and
disregarded the warning of their fellow firemen from across the railroad tracks. Presumably, if the
Paulsboro firemen carry out their implied threat in the letter to the Billingsport firemen, they will
not cooperate in the upcoming parade. The Record claims to have always been very cooperative
with the PVFA, and in fact had helped in organizing their Drum and Bugle Corps. The newspaper
cannot understand the PVFA’s animosity toward it.
8/11/1954
PAULSBORO FIRE CO. TO MARCH IN BILLINGSPORT PARADE. An announcement
was made in out of town newspapers this week that the Paulsboro Vol. Fire Assoc. #1 will march
in the Billingsport Fire Company’s Jubilee Parade on Saturday afternoon. The Junior Drum and
Bugle Corps, and a new teacher will be in the line of march. The Drum and Bugle Corps and the
Drill Team are under the direction of musical director Bernie Lotstein with Alex Mogar as
assistant musical director. Willard Zee heads the drill team with Carleton Kandle as assistant
drillmaster. John Whitelam heads the Color Guard. Lotstein also directs the Baton Twirlers, and
William Jones is Quartermaster of the group. The women of the auxiliary to the Fire Company
have done fine work in making uniforms for the team since they received the suggestion from the
firemen. The majorette dresses of broadcloth, blue skirts with yellow tops, and overseas caps of
blue with yellow tassels will be ready for the practice before the parade Saturday. Mrs. Bryant,
Mrs. Cowgill and Mrs. Stetser did all of the cutting out. Mrs. A. Forte contributed materials and
did the specialized sewing jobs. Others helping were Mrs.’s Leap, Vanneman, Gindhart, Hellyer,
and Lindsey.
8/18/1954
FIRE AT LIQUOR STORE. The Paulsboro firemen were called to extinguish a smoldering fire
at Alampi’s Liquor store, at the corner of Delaware and Adams, on Wednesday around noontime.
The fire was caused by defective electrical wiring. No appreciable amount of damage was done.
9/28/1954
REFRIDGERATOR CATCHES FIRE. The fire companies were called out on Sunday around 3
p.m. to the old Dwyer Store on Swedesboro Avenue where a refrigerator caught fire. The fire was
believed to have been caused by a short circuit and caused a lot of smoke. The firemen quickly
responded and extinguished the blaze with but little damage.
10/14/1954
PVFA #1 LAUNCHES FUND DRIVE. The Fund Drive of the Paulsboro Fire Co. #1 will be
launched on Monday, October 18th, and continue throughout the week. Uniformed firemen will
solicit donations from door to door. The fire siren will be sounded to signify the beginning of the
drive. The PVFA wishes to remind the people of Paulsboro that they are your fire company and
are made up of men who are your friends and neighbors with wives and families of their own.
They receive no compensation for performing duties that may call for them to risk their lives in
your behalf. The PVFA owns the building, which houses the equipment, and your firemen must
raise money for upkeep and maintenance. Your fire company answered more than one hundred
alarms thus far this year plus manning and answering ambulance calls. Approximately $2,000,000
in property was saved and protected. Your fire insurance rates are kept at a reasonable level due
largely to the excellent protection afforded to you by your fire company.
10/21/1954
HURRICANE CAUSES SEVERE DAMAGE. Director of Public Safety, Kenneth Adams,
reported last Tuesday evening to Borough Council that the recent hurricane did between $50,000
and $75,000 worth of damage in Paulsboro. In the report to his colleagues, Adams stated at 4:30
p.m. Friday a Temporary Emergency was declared and the two local fire departments were
notified to stand by. Crews were placed in both firehouses for emergency duty. The siren at the
Billingsport Fire Company went out of order and the volunteer firemen, not only stood by, but
also helped remove fallen branches and trees to the municipal dump, and kept the streets open for
all emergencies, as well as guarded fallen electrical wires.
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12/09/1954
SANTA CLAUS PARADE IN PAULSBORO A HUGE SUCCESS. The Santa Claus parade
attracted a large crowd on Delaware Street, and later over 500 kiddies visited Santa on the second
floor of the Paulsboro firehouse, where he listened to them and each child was given a gift. The
fire company sponsored the event. The parade was under the direction of Claude Stetser and
Bernard Lotstein, with the Paulsboro Fire Co. #1 Drum and Bugle Corps leading the fire truck
upon which Santa Claus rode in his sleigh pulled by two reindeer. The reindeer were secured from
New Holland, Pa. and their costumes from the city. Another novel attraction, besides Santa riding
atop the fire truck, was the marching Drum and Bugle Corps. The drill team of young ladies and
moms were the clowns and animal characters. Milton Jones played the role of Santa, while the
clowns were Lotstein, Frank Prasch, Robert Jolley and Robert Struss. John Whitelam was attired
in a Mickey Mouse costume; Charlie Askins, dressed as Porky Pig; Herb Hoffman, as Donald
Duck; H. Gindhart, as Bugs Bunny; Harry Myers, as Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Bob
Hurst as Bambi.
1955
1/12/1955
CHILDREN SET FIRE AT COAT FACTORY. The Paulsboro fire companies were called out
Wednesday evening around 8:30 p.m. to a fire started by children playing under the steps at the
Superior Coat Co. on Cox Street. The blaze was quickly extinguished but it could have proved
disastrous. Neighbors saw the children playing, and then all of a sudden they began running away
and the blaze soon followed.
2/03/1955
FLAMES DAMAGE GIBBSTOWN HOUSE. One of the oldest dwellings in this area, the old
Ladner brick farm house on Swedesboro Road, was damaged around 2 a.m. Thursday morning by
fire in zero degree weather. The blaze started on the first floor from a kerosene stove in the
kitchen. The house is occupied by Pete Patten and family. The kitchen was charred and the inside
of the home was destroyed completely. Patten and family were able to get out and no one was
hurt. The Gibbstown and Paulsboro fire companies were called out and despite the terrific cold
were able to put the blaze out before it destroyed the old landmark.
6/01/1955
FIRE CO. CALLED TO EMPTY OIL DRUM FIRE. The Paulsboro, Thorofare, Clarksboro
and Mt. Royal fire companies were called out to Berkley Road, near the Paulsboro-Jefferson
Road, where several hundred large metal drums, which at one time contained pitch, caught on fire
and burned fiercely for sometime Wednesday afternoon. The firemen brought the blaze under
control, but it was feared for a while that the flames might extend to the surrounding woods.
6/03/1955
OLD BARGE ON FIRE. An old barge, used as a breakwater in the Delaware River at the
California Oil Co., caught fire Friday around 3:30 p.m. The spokesman of the company, Barclay
Evans, said the cause was unknown and was extinguished by the water played on it by employees
of the plant. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies stood by in case of emergency.
6/29/1955
BALL OF GREEN FIRE FALLS FROM SKY AT SOCONY. Both fire companies were called
out Wednesday morning to the Socony Oil Co. refinery to a grass fire. They put it out without too
much trouble, but the peculiar thing which had the Paulsboro Police and Refinery officials
concerned, is the fact that engineer R. Barker and fireman C. Szymaski, operating a freight train in
the oil refinery, saw a green ball of fire fall from the skies in the center of the plant, and set fire to
the grass. They gave the alarm. Today, refinery workers with rakes and other tools are combing
the burned grounds in an endeavor to find part of the mysterious ball of green fire. It was believed
by some that a meteorite fragment fell from the sky, near the old Lighthouse, right in the center of
the refinery. This newspaper obtained a statement from Chief of Police Herman Hanel early this
morning in which he disclosed the so called “green fire balls” have definitely been identified as a
type of signal flares, which evidently had been shot from a heavy gauge shotgun by persons
unknown in the borough picnic grounds area. Chief Hanel stated that a discharged shell of the
signal flare type had been found.
8/10/1955
NEW FIRE TRUCK FOR Billingsport. The Billingsport Fire Company took possession of its
new Mack fire truck. It is painted blue. It was discussed to also paint the Ward Lafrance and the
American Lafrance blue as well. This would be done within the next year or so.
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9/22/1955
FIRE AT LUNCHEONETTE. The fire companies were called out at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday to
Wilson’s Luncheonette, at 1202 N. Delaware Street, where the motor on the ice cream refrigerator
caught on fire. The blaze was put out quickly, but caused a lot of smoke.
9/23/1955
FIREMEN “FIRE” HEAD OF CORPS. At Friday’s meeting of the Paulsboro Fire company,
the firemen “fired” one of their own members as musical director of the Drum and Bugle Corps by
a two-vote margin. The vote was 12 to 10 to remove Bernard Lotstein as musical director. Lotstein
organized the corps two years ago. Some of the members of the Fire Co. were not satisfied with
his work. They claimed that he did not attend all the rehearsals and sometimes did not attend
parades on Saturday’s. Lotstein pointed out that all of his work the past two years was free and
voluntary and when he worked for his dad, the Lotstein Furniture and Gift Store, he was unable to
get away on Saturdays for parades, however there were other members of the fire company who
were able to go. It is heard that the Fire Company plans to hire a new musical director to teach the
children, and will pay him or her for their work, while Lotstein did all his work for free.
10/04/1955
COUNCIL PASSES RESIDENCE ORDINANCE. At its meeting on Tuesday night, the
Paulsboro Borough Council instructed its solicitor, William Kramer, to draw up an ordinance to
make it mandatory for any member of either the Billingsport or Paulsboro fire company to be a
resident of the community, to remain an active firemen, except those who have served 7 years and
got their exempt certificate. The ordinance will come up for introduction at the next meeting of
Council. This action was taken at the request of Chief of the Borough Fire Dept., Alex Mogar.
10/18/1955
COUNCIL DISCUSSES NEW FIRE ALARMS. The proposal to install alarms in the homes of
the volunteer firemen, because of their stated inability to hear the fire sirens, was again brought on
the floor for discussion by Councilman Joe Long, at the recent council meeting. The Bell
Telephone Company has advised him that the wiring is bad on the two sirens. The motion to
install the telephone was carried with an approximate cost of $5.00 per installation and a $60.00
per month rental fee. Long advised that an additional siren will be placed soon at a strategic point
in the town.
10/27/1955
CIVIL DEFENSE HOLDS DRILL. Paulsboro conducted a local Civil Defense Exercise on
Thursday, called “Operation Buck Street.” The Buck Street grade school “suffered” a firebomb
hit. Scores of persons were presumed killed and many suffered serious burns. The community
ambulance was used for transportation of the injured with Dr. Anthony Marino, Medical Defense
Director in charge. Fire trucks from Paulsboro and Billingsport arrived on the scene.
Approximately 12 smoke flares were set off in barrels behind the school, simulating a bomb hit.
Fire companies hooked up to the fire hydrants and showered the school with water for 15 minutes.
Traffic in the local area was blocked throughout the drill. Several violations were reported and
Thomas Oster, Director of County Defense, stated he was amazed to see the high school football
team practicing during the drill. He immediately had the field cleared. Wardens saw several
pedestrians and many children on the streets.
12/10/1955
SANTA CLAUS TO ARRIVE IN TOWN WITH FIRE CO. Santa Claus will arrive in
Paulsboro this Saturday at 6:30 p.m., with the aid of the Paulsboro Fire Company. Santa will ride
in a sleigh drawn by his reindeer from the Jubilee Corner, Delaware and Billings Avenue, at the
railroad, South on Delaware street to Wood Street, West on Wood to the Paulsboro Firehouse,
where Santa will greet and listen to the kiddies from Paulsboro and surrounding towns. The
Paulsboro Fire Co. Junior Drum and Bugle Corps will be in Santa’s parade to serenade him all the
way to the firehouse. Businesses, organizations and Churches are invited to enter floats in the
parade, providing they keep them in the Christmas theme. The committee must approve the floats
before they are entered. The committee for this event is composed of Claude Stetser, Milton Jones
and John Whitelam. There will be 25 other “characters” in the parade.
12/15/1955
FIREMEN THANK ALL WHO HELPED PARADE. The PVFA #1 members who brought
Santa Claus to Paulsboro on Saturday would like to thank all of the people for their interest in the
event, and to those who helped in any way. Santa Claus listened to over 600 kids in the firehouse
after the parade. Hundreds of people lined the parade route to watch the arrival of Santa Claus.
12/18/1955
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TWO FIRES AT SAME TIME. The local fire companies were called out Sunday morning at 11
o’clock to the home of John Veney, 209 W. Washington Street, where a coal stove fired an
upstairs room and burned it out. About the same time a call came in from Apt. 68B, of the
Paulsboro Manor, that a frying pan was on fire. The blaze was extinguished with no damage.
12/31/1955
GRASS FIRE. The fire companies were called out around noon to a grass fire on Mantua Avenue
between Third and Fourth streets.
1956
2/09/1956
HOUSE & STORE GUTTED BY FIRE. A small three room house and confectionery shop was
completely destroyed by fire Thursday morning about 2:45 a.m. The Paulsboro Fire Department
was called first, and when it was discovered that the burning building was located in Greenwich
Township, the Gibbstown Fire Company was also summoned. The occupants of the dwelling, Mr.
and Mrs. George Darby, which is located on Swedesboro Avenue, on the other side of Berkley
Road, escaped without injury.
3/31/1956
GRASS & GARAGE FIRES. The local fire department extinguished two grass fires Saturday
morning, one at 5th and Nassau, and the other at the Borough picnic grounds. On Easter Sunday
they responded to a car garage fire, around 10 a.m., at Broad St. and Berkley Road.
4/25/1956
THREE FIRES KEEP FIREMEN BUSY. The fire companies were kept busy when they were
called out for three fire alarms. The first was in the afternoon around 1:30 p.m. for a grass fire in
the meadows near the borough dump, off of Mantua Avenue. Another call came in at the same
time for another grass fire in the rear of William Flower’s yard on Billingsport Road. They were
called out again at 6 PM to the 1400 block of Swedesboro Avenue for a trash fire between two
houses. No damage resulted to either house.
4/29/1956
BIG FIRE AT COOMBS LUMBER YARD. (See Large Article Section)
5/01/1956
DEFECTIVE WIRING CAUSED FIRE AT A&P STORE. An early morning fire damaged the
storeroom of the A & P store at 1 a.m. Tuesday. The loss, which will also include smoke damage
to some stock in the main store, was not immediately determined. Both the Billingsport and
Paulsboro fire companies, under Fire Chief Alex Mogar, fought the blaze for nearly an hour.
Patrolmen Daniel Angelucci and Nick Miskofsky discovered the blaze at the store while on patrol
in their police car. They radioed in the alarm. Electric company employees cut the power circuit
leading into the store while firemen battled to confine the flames to the storeroom, located in the
rear of the store building. C. Husted, of Bridgeton, the store manager, said that perishable foods
valued at several hundred dollars were stored in freezer units. Officials said that the alertness of
the two policemen averted a more serious fire.
5/03/1956
FIRE FIGHTING CO-OPERATION BETWEEN COMMUNITIES. Letter from the editor of
the Paulsboro Record: Last Sunday morning we witnessed some of the finest co-operation in the
world between the fire companies in this area, when part of the J. Howard Coombs Lumber Co.
yard was destroyed by flames. First of all we want to take our hats off to the volunteer firemen
who confined the blaze to one portion of the lumberyard. The heat was intense, particularly at the
Northwest end of the yard, where tarpaper rolls were burning, and when the blaze erupted through
the roof, it scorched the front of the Morse house more than 100 feet away. While some volunteers
were manning the larger hose, other firemen were playing water on them with a smaller hose to
keep them cool, and prevent them from being burned in case a sudden shift of the wind would
reverse the flames. Fire apparatus from nearby communities responded quickly and took their
assigned place. The local fire companies planned well, how to lay their hose right in the
beginning, as once the hoses are laid they cannot be moved around and shifted from place to place.
The Borough’s police officers, special officers, auxiliary police and the fire police took their
places at intersections and kept the cars of the curious out of the fire area, which helped. They also
kept the curious people from getting in the way of the firemen. Several towns’ folk volunteered
their services, although they did not belong to any organization. The women of the community did
a splendid job in making coffee, sandwiches and seeing that it was brought to the fire scene. One
lady sent the leftover fancy sandwiches from a wedding the night before. This was a thoughtful
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act. Because everyone seemed intent on doing their best, there were no heroics. We are proud of
our hometown. It is this type of cooperation in an emergency that may save the lives of many of
our dear ones in some future disaster. It feels comforting to know that WE CAN DO IT, when the
occasion arises. The Mayor and Borough Council and the officers of the fire companies wish to
express their heartfelt thanks to one and all who helped in any way last Sunday at the fire, and to
the out of town firemen. It was one of the finest exhibitions of selfless services by everyone in the
hometown that it has been our privilege to write about in 30 years of local newspaper work.
5/10/1956
COUNCIL PRAISES FIREMEN & AUXILIARY. Councilman Joe Long informed council
members that the manager of the A & P store, which had a fire recently, had reported only a
minimum amount of damage. The manager highly commended the firemen and the police for the
part they played in discovering the fire and keeping the damage low. Also, council went on record
commending the part that the fire company’s auxiliaries played in serving coffee and sandwiches
to the firemen and workers at the recent Coombs Lumber Company fire.
5/31/1956
PAINTER’S BLOWTORCH SETS HOUSE ON FIRE. Painters removing paint from
woodwork at the home of Mr. B. Pavlovski, 222 W. Washington Street caused a fire to break out.
The blaze damaged the rear bedroom of the home before it could be extinguished by the firemen
who responded to a call at the scene, about 8:35 a.m. on Thursday morning.
6/07/1956
FIRE DESTROYS SHACK. The local fire companies were called out Thursday morning around
4 o’clock to 1545 Swedesboro Avenue, where flames destroyed a shanty occupied by Jonas
Brown. The firemen kept the blaze from spreading to other shacks and a pile of wastepaper. No
one was injured.
7/29/1956
FALSE ALARM AT LUMBER YARD. The fire companies were called out Monday evening to
the DiMedio Lumber Yard when someone drove by and saw smoke. The firemen found no fire,
however.
10/13/1956
PAULSBORO FIREMAN CRASHES INTO HOUSE AFTER PARADE. The fence and part
of a stone wall at the home of Charles Greiner, at Broad and Commerce streets, was torn down by
Willard Zee, of 17 E. Buck Street, Saturday night around 11:30. Zee, a member of the Paulsboro
Fire Company, had attended a firemen’s parade in Pennsgrove that afternoon, and drove from the
firehouse out Wood St. When he turned onto S. Commerce St., he drove about 150 feet then struck
a utility pole a glancing blow in front of the home of Fred Cowgill. He then careened about 50 feet
across Commerce Street, jumped the curb and sidewalk. Zee then proceeded to demolish the
wooden fence and moved the stone pillar off its foundation at the Greiner house. His car stopped
at the porch steps. As he attempted to back out, Fred Cowgill took the keys out of his car so that
the man could not drive away. Mrs. Greiner, very ill for the past seven months in bed, was in the
first floor room. Had the stone pillar not been in the way, Zee could have easily drove right into
the room of the ill woman. The police escorted Zee home.
10/18/1956
NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL ON FIREMEN. “The Paulsboro Public Safety Committee held a
private hearing Tuesday night on the matter of turning in a false fire alarm by one of the Paulsboro
cops. The punishment, if any, will be announced at the next meeting of Council. Paulsboro
Council ought to adopt an ordinance regulating the conduct of firemen, who abuse borough
equipment while on duty. The fireman who got in trouble Saturday night, is reported to have
removed a distributor from one of the fire engines about a year or so ago, while at a parade at the
seashore, because he did not want to come home when the others were ready. The Fire Company
demoted him, but he should have been removed from the rolls entirely. It was taxpayers’
equipment he fooled with. Next week, starting Monday evening at 6 p.m., the Paulsboro Fire
company members will call from door to door to canvass for donations, South of the railroad. The
blowing of the fire siren will launch the drive. We urge our readers in that part of the town where
the canvassing is to be done, to be generous in their donations. The solicitors will be in uniform.
These men volunteer their services day and night, not only to fight fires, but also to drive the
community ambulance. The Fire Company deserves your support when they seek funds. So give
generously.
10/26/1956
FIRE IN NECKTIE FACTORY. Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Companies responded to a fire
alarm at 12:45 p.m. on Friday when wastepaper in the rest room of the Forte Necktie Factory, at
55
38 E. Broad Street, caught fire. For a time it was believed to be the wiring, but the firemen ruled
this out. The factory is housed in what is known as the Chesney Building, on the second floor, and
there are also apartments on the first floor. The first floor contains the Chesney Insurance Agency,
the Charm Shop Beauty parlor and two apartments. The fire was quickly extinguished with only
minor damage done.
11/08/1956
FIRE CO. AWARDS PRIZES FOR ESSAYS. An essay contest by the Paulsboro Fire
Department during Fire Prevention Week in the schools has been concluded. The theme of the
essay was “Fire Prevention in the Home,” and there were a large number of entrants. Certificates
signed by the local Fire Chief, Alex Mogar, were presented to first and second prizewinners along
with a cash award of $2.00 and $1.00 respectively. Serving on the committee and in charge were
Tony DiLuigi, Lt. in the Fire Company and Willard Zee. The winners were Grade 6- 1st prize,
Carol Godfrey; 2nd prize, Kenny Bandaruk; Grade 7- 1st prize, Kevin Yandach; 2nd prize, Reynold
Phillipp; Grade 8- 1st prize, Ella May Bates; 2nd prize, Glenn Fish.
11/22/1956
FIRE CO. ABANDONS SANTA CLAUS PROJECT. The Paulsboro Fire Co. #1 announced
this week that they were forced to abandon the Santa Claus Parade, which they have staged so
successfully, the past two years in town, and which made hundreds of kiddies very happy. The
parade had to be dropped because of not enough money to finance the project. This is one project
that brought a lot of people to town and gave it a lot of good advertising. Besides Santa riding on
the fire engine with his reindeer, there were animal characters such as Donald Duck, Mickey
Mouse, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and others who marched along beside the fire trucks. The
parade ended at the Paulsboro Firehouse, where the children were greeted by Santa himself and
each child told Santa what they wanted and received a gift. The Parade and the Junior Drum &
Bugle Corps have been the Fire Company’s outstanding projects, from which Paulsboro has
received lots of good publicity, due to the efforts of a handful of firemen.
11/23/1956
FIREMEN & SCOUTS TO CONDUCT MD DRIVE. The Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire
Companies, along with the Boy Scouts, will conduct a house to house canvass in Paulsboro,
Friday November 23rd, starting at 6 o’clock, and on Saturday morning the 24 th. The fire sirens will
be blown to announce the beginning of the fund drive. You are asked to give generously to the
volunteer worker who will call on you.
11/28/1956
TWO GRASS FIRES WEDNESDAY. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called out about 2:55
p.m. to control a grass fire near the lighthouse, at 2nd and Billings. They were called again to
extinguish another grass fire at 305 West Broad Street.
12/06/1956
FIREMEN HAVE BUSY WEEK WITH GRASS FIRES. On Monday evening, shortly after 5
PM, the Paulsboro firemen were called out to a grass fire at the end of S. Commerce St., at the old
Sandwash lane. Around 6:30 PM the firemen were called out to the old Harry Adamson property
on S. Commerce St., where the tall weeds, which haven’t been mowed for years, around the
abandoned structure were blazing high. The firemen allowed the tall grass to burn down, so that it
lessened the danger of another huge blaze, around the old place. The fire companies were called
out Tuesday morning at 11:30 a.m., to Penn Line and Capitol streets for another grass fire. They
were once again called out the next day at 4:27 a.m. for a grass fire at S. Delaware Street.
12/12/1956
PAULSBORO FIRE CO. TO ESCORT SANTA ON FIRE TRUCK. The Paulsboro Fire Co.
#1 will put on their annual project of bringing Santa Claus into town on the fire engine. This will
be done on Saturday evening Dec. 15th starting at 6 PM at the Jubilee Corner and marching North
on Delaware St. to Wood, then West on Wood to the firehouse, where Santa will greet the
children, listen to them and each child will be given a piece of candy. The firemen were going to
drop the project because of the lack of finances. The Halloween Committee decided to donate
some of the funds raised for the Halloween Parade, and not used because the parade was
postponed twice because of rain, to the firemen for the Christmas project. Besides bringing Santa
on top of the fire engine, with his sled and reindeer, characters out of Disneyland will march
along, as will the Junior Drum and Bugle Corps of the fire company. Another music organization
may join the group. The firemen need to be commended for their efforts. This parade has attracted
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unusual attention in the nearby communities and it is expected that thousands will line the streets
to witness it.
12/26/1956
PORCH CATCHES AFIRE. On Thursday, the fire companies were called out at 12:45 p.m. to a
rear porch that was ablaze, at 315 Billings Avenue. The fire was quickly extinguished without too
much damage done.
1957
1/03/1957
THREE GRASS FIRES IN THREE DAYS. The fire companies were called out for grass fires
on Tuesday at 1706 Swedesboro Avenue, at 2 PM, another one on Wednesday, about 1:30 PM, at
Swedesboro and Paul Avenues, and again on Thursday at 10 a.m. at 4th and Billingsport Road.
1/12/1957
FIRE DESTROYS LAMPSHADE FACTORY AND 3 STORES. Flames of undetermined
origin, destroyed the building housing the Bestell Lamp Shade Manufacturing Co., which was in
the rear of the establishment and three other business places in the front, Vinces Bar, at 1309, the
offices of Dr. George Brown, an optometrist at 1311, and Brown’s Jewelry Store at 1313 N.
Delaware St. The apartment over Vince’s Bar, occupied by Elizabeth Cairns and her daughter, was
a complete loss and they lost every stitch of clothing and stick of furniture. Mrs. Cairns also lost
her week of pay that she just received. She had placed it under the rug for safekeeping. Her
daughter Margie was married that night and the family and friends were at the Red Men’s Hall
where a reception was being held. All the wedding gifts were also destroyed. Nearby stores
presented Mrs. Cairns and daughter with shoes and some dresses. Firemen feel the fire started in
the lampshade factory. Someone passing by the building saw the flames in the doorway of the
lampshade factory and gave the alarm. About 15 patrons were in Vince’s Bar and the first thing
they knew about the fire in the rear was when a rear door blew in and flames gushed into the bar
room. They then began to flee. The bar was in shambles and a complete loss of equipment and
stock. Dr. Brown was able to save some of his records and one of his eye testing machines.
Brown’s Jewelry store was able to save some stock, but a lot of diamond rings and other
expensive jewelry are among the missing. Some one must have removed rings out of the
showcases before the owners arrived at the scene. All of the local fire fighting equipment was put
into use, and the water connections between Paulsboro, Gibbstown and Clarksboro were turned on
and there was adequate water pressure. We understand that several pieces of equipment were
pumping water out of the Mantua Creek. The Gibbstown fire equipment aided in the fire fighting.
One piece of equipment from Woodbury stood by in case of need. The Gloucester Township
canteen truck from Blackwood rushed here with coffee and donuts. Local stores and individuals,
including the local Fire Company Ladies Auxiliaries, furnished hot coffee and other liquid
refreshments to the firemen. Mayor Billbrough was on the roof of the Weiss Dept. Store for
awhile manning a hose. Everyone did a wonderful job and prevented the blaze from spreading to
the Weiss store on one side and to the Max Glickman building, housing the Wynette Dress Shop
and Milt’s Men’s Shop, on the other side. The building itself was completely destroyed. About 20
years ago, when it housed the Paulsboro Bowling Academy, another fire destroyed the rear of the
same building. All of the police department and the auxiliary police officers were called out and
were on duty. On Sunday Gloucester County Fire Marshal John Williams and his deputy, Ray
Williams, were called out to investigate the ruins. Frank Scheetz of the Paulsboro Company ran a
nail in his right foot. Ray Neissner, of the Billingsport Company, suffered a fractured bone in his
right foot when he tripped over a fire hose. Newly appointed Fire Chief Fraizer Newton was on the
job and claims that both Paulsboro and Billingsport, as well as Gibbstown fire companies did a
wonderful job. The blaze attracted hundreds of spectators, and traffic was badly disrupted
throughout the area, police reported.
2/09/1957
APARTMENT FIRE KILLS TWO CHILDREN. (See Large Article Section)
2/18/1957
FIREMEN HAVE BUSY DAY. The Paulsboro firemen were called out three times Monday.
Twice to extinguish grass fires: one in the afternoon about 2:30 p.m. and one about 7:30 p.m. on
Thomson Avenue. They were called out again at 10:15 p.m. to put out an auto fire at 242 Billings
Avenue, where the car of Ronald Givin caught fire near his home.
2/27/1957
57
DUMP AND GRASS FIRE. The fire companies were called out twice Wednesday to extinguish
small fires. The first call was at 9:30 a.m. for a fire at the Municipal Dump. The second call was at
3 p.m. for a grass fire on Dayton Avenue.
3/13/1957
THREE FIRES IN ONE DAY. The fire department was called upon three times Wednesday.
Two of the calls were for grass fires, one in the rear of the Paulsboro Manor and the other on
Billings Avenue between 2nd and 3rd streets. They also responded to the residence of Dorothy
Scuderi, 1009 Chestnut Street, where a frying pan was on fire.
5/12/1957
POLICE INVESTIGATING DINER FIRE. The Paulsboro Police are investigating an early
morning fire that wrecked the interior of the Cross-Roads Diner at Broad Street and Berkley Road,
at 4:30 Sunday morning. Both local fire companies answered the fire alarm.
5/13/1957
FAULTY WIRING CAUSES FIRE. Faulty wiring caused a fire that damaged the home of Vito
Sabetta on Monday, shortly after 10 a.m. Mrs. Sabetta discovered the blaze in the laundry room
when she saw smoke pouring out from behind the clothes dryer. The Billingsport and Paulsboro
fire companies responded and kept the fire confined to the room.
6/20/1957
VIOLENT STORM CAUSES DAMAGE IN AREA. Shortly after six o’clock Sunday evening,
a semi-tropical storm struck this area and blew over trees, damaged electrical wires and did
considerable damage around the town. Large hail stones fell and lightning played havoc. The
Paulsboro Fire Co. was called to the home of Sam Olsen, of 613 Billings Avenue, where a short
circuit developed in the electric stove. Lightning damaged the wiring in the home at 13 Railroad
Avenue. The Fire Company stood by at the home of Gerard Stackhouse, 610 Greenwich Avenue,
where lightning struck a chimney. No one was home. Streets were entirely flooded, including
Broad St., the first time in the history of the town, according to some old residents. Trees were
uprooted by the winds and many large branches were broken off. Councilman Dave Rosen’s store,
located at the intersection of Swedesboro Ave. and S. Delaware St., was damaged.
7/15/1957
FIRE CO. RESPONDS TWICE ON MONDAY. The local fire companies were dispatched
twice on Monday for fire alarms. They were called out Monday morning to an apartment house
owned by Harry Josephs, on E. Broad St., where heavy black smoke belched from the chimney.
The oil heater had backfired. No damage resulted. They were called out again in the afternoon to
the rear of the Atlantic City Electric Company plant, on Billingsport Road, for a fire.
7/16/1957
FIRE DESTROYS BARN IN JEFFERSON, PAULSBORO IS CALLED. Flames destroyed
an old barn and some State Highway snow fence Tuesday afternoon around 4:30 p.m., at a lot
located at the intersection of the Bridgeton Pike and the Paulsboro-Jefferson Road in Jefferson.
The State Highway Dept. rents the lot for storage. Seven fire companies, including Paulsboro,
were called out. It was feared that a large number of drums filled with tar would explode and
scatter the flames. Earlier in the day, both local fire companies were called out to a grass fire call
at 2nd and Beacon.
7/18/1957
BOROUGH MAN HELD FOR ARSON CHARGE. Ralph Beverly, 29, of 1712 Swedesboro
Avenue, was held without bail in the County Jail after he pleaded guilty to the charge of arson at a
hearing before Municipal Judge Samuel Pote. Sgt. Alex Wydonowski and Patrolman Edward
Gibson of the Paulsboro Police arrested Beverly, Monday night, on a suspicion of arson. Firemen
were called to the Swedesboro Ave. address where they extinguished two fires, one in a waste box
in the cellar and a fire in a clothes closet on the third floor about 6:30 p.m. The twin blazes caused
only slight damage due to the prompt arrival of the Paulsboro firemen. Beverly’s sister Hilda owns
the house. She had her brother before Judge Pote ten days ago when the judge gave him ten days
to find another place to live. The argument between the brother and sister was renewed Monday,
which was the last day of the ten day period given to Ralph to move, and the attempt to set fire to
the house resulted. Gloucester County Fire Marshal John Williams, Deputy Marshal Ray Williams
and local fire officials investigated the fire.
8/07/1957
LEAKING REFRIDGERATOR ENDANGERS WOMAN. Local police played an important
part, as did members of the fire department in saving the life of Mrs. Russell Tarpine, of 554
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Billings Avenue, on Wednesday morning, at 7:35 am. Mrs. Tarpine’s home was filled with gas
from a leaking refrigerator. Chief of Police Herman Hanel and Officer Tony Giordano assisted
Paulsboro firemen Tony DiLuigi and Robert Jolley in removing the refrigerator, and aided in
administering oxygen, which is carried in the police car, after Mrs. Tarpine suffered a heart attack
induced by the excitement. Dr. Rudolph DiPersia was called to attend her. It was necessary to
secure electric fans to clear the fumes from the home. Mrs. Tarpine was removed to the home of
the Chief’s mother, but was later able to return home under the care of a neighbor, Ralph Barnart.
Also, the Paulsboro fire companies were called out Wednesday about 3:30 p.m. to control a grass
fire at the corner of Elizabeth and Broad St.
8/21/1957
COUNCIL MEETING & GRASS FIRE. At its last meeting on Tuesday, the Borough Council
received a latter from the Paulsboro Fire Company about increasing its insurance coverage for the
firemen. As of now they are not covered for heart attacks or hernias suffered in fighting fires. The
matter was turned over to the Finance Committee. The fire department earlier in the day responded
to a grass fire at Billings and Riverview avenues around 3 p.m.
8/25/1957
FOUR FIRES IN TWO DAYS. The local fire companies were called out on August 24 th twice to
extinguish grass fires. At 3 PM it was at the corner of Commerce and Jessup. Later that evening it
was for another grass fire next to the Coombs lumberyard. The next morning they were dispatched
for a refrigerator that had caught fire from a short circuit, at 1420 Swedesboro Avenue. Later that
Saturday, they extinguished a grass fire around 4:30 p.m., at Mantua Avenue and the railroad.
9/19/1957
NEWSPAPER SAYS “GIVE TO THE FIRE CO.” This newspaper, “The Record”, urges the
citizens of Paulsboro living South of the Railroad, to give generously to the Paulsboro Vol. Fire
Co. #1 next week when they will call from door to door in their annual drive for funds. Your
donations will be deeply appreciated by the firemen. The Borough appropriates some money for
the operating of the fire apparatus, pays insurance and furnishes gasoline for the fire trucks, but we
understand that the firemen need additional funds to keep their building, which they own, in repair
and to operate the fire company. Please have your contributions ready when they call at your door
next week. The Fund Drive will be launched Monday evening, September 23 rd, at 6 PM, with the
blowing of the fire siren and will continue until Saturday, September 28 th.
10/07/1957
FIRE DRILL AT BUCK STREET SCHOOL. Fire companies from five municipalities are
scheduled to take part Monday, October 7th, in a fire drill at the old Buck Street school here. The
drill, according to Police Chief Herman Hanel, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Hanel said there will
be a simulated fire at the school, condemned last year by the State Department of Education. In
addition to volunteer fire companies from Paulsboro, members of the Woodbury Rescue Squad
and the Friendship Fire Co., of Woodbury, Gibbstown, Thorofare and Clarksboro volunteers will
take part. The Woodbury Rescue Squad will give first aid and artificial respiration demonstrations.
10/24/1957
OIL BURNER AND DUMP FIRES. The fire department was called out for a fire at the
Municipal Dump, at 10 a.m. The fire companies were again called out to 1013 DeVault Avenue, a
little past noon, on Thursday, for an oil burner that was on fire.
11/12/1957
COUNCIL TO APPROPIATE $10,000 FOR AMBULANCE. At the last meeting of the
Borough Council, that body went on record to appropriate $10,000 for a new Cadillac ambulance
for the community. The original ambulance was purchased during the administration of Mayor
Neil Dempsey with monies contributed by the citizens of the community. Ted Hetzel headed the
original drive for funds. A second ambulance was bought with funds derived by a similar drive
The mayor and council felt that by appropriating the $10,000 out of tax monies, a better equipped
ambulance could be purchased, and it is for use free of charge for all of the citizens who need its
services.
11/21/1957
FIRE AT DUMP. The local fire companies were called out to a fire at the Municipal Dump, on
Sunday afternoon, around 5:30 p.m., near the former Grasseli Plant.
11/25/1957
FIRE IN CELLAR. On Monday morning, the fire department was called to the home of William
Johnson, 131 Berkley Road, for a fire in the cellar. The blaze was quickly extinguished.
12/20/1957
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FIRE DESTROYS RIVERFRONT COTTAGE. Fire destroyed the home of Joseph Scargle, of
103 Riverfront Avenue, on Friday morning. The fire started in a bedroom of the small one story
cottage, which was occupied at the time by Everett Taylor. Mr. Taylor said his pay and clothes
were burned up. Scargle was asleep downstairs when a neighbor awakened him. The home of John
Bratton, next door to Scargle, was also damaged.
12/24/1957
ANOTHER OIL BURNER FIRE. The local fire companies were called to the home of Ronald
Givin, at 242 Billings Avenue, on Tuesday afternoon, for an oil burner fire.
1958
1/29/1958
GRASS FIRES. The fire companies were called out four times over the last two days for grass
fires. On Wednesday they were dispatched for a fire behind the service station at Broad and Cedar,
one behind the home of councilman Earl Miller on the 1500 block of S. Delaware, and another in
back of the High School athletic field. Thursday evening it was for a grass fire at the corner of
Swedesboro and Thomson Ave.
2/27/1958
FIRE ON DAYTON AVENUE. The fire companies were called out Saturday morning to 69
Dayton Avenue where the family started a fire in a pipeless heater, which smoked badly and filled
the house up with smoke. One of the children ran out of the house and shouted fire and the
neighbors summoned the fire department.
3/07/1958
5 HOMES DESTROYED BY FIRE ALONG RIVERFRONT. (See Large Article Section)
3/20/1958
FIRE AND POLICE CHIEFS TO PROSECUTE FIRE ENGINE CHASERS. Persons who
chase fire engines to fires and park their cars closer than 200 yards from the fire scene, or
apparatus, will be prosecuted under the State law, in the future. The large number of cars, which
congested the area at two recent fires in Paulsboro, hampered the work of the firemen. Not only
have cars been following the fire engines too closely, but also they have blocked streets and
highways and sometimes hide the fireplugs so that the engines cannot maneuver around them
quickly and easily. Fire Chief Fraizer Newton and Police Chief Herman Hanel claim that the
license number of violators will be taken down and warrants issued for the arrest of the violators.
According to Municipal Judge Samuel Pote, fines for such violations can be anywhere from $10 to
$50 for each offence, plus court costs.
4/27/1958
KITCHEN FIRE IN BAR. The local fire department was called out to a fire in the kitchen of the
Penn Line Bar at the corner of Penn Line and Adams. Parts of the kitchen were slightly damaged
by the flames.
5/04/1958
LIGHTNING CAUSES HOUSE FIRE. On Sunday, lightning struck the home of Harvey
Johnson, 1283 Berkley Road, causing heavy damage to the dwelling. The Paulsboro and
Billingsport fire companies brought the blaze under control. Firemen said that the lightning bolt
struck during the heavy rainstorm shortly after 3 p.m.
5/10/1958
LUMBERYARD MILL DESTROYED BY FLAMES. (See Large Article Section)
7/16/1958
WHARF & DUMP FIRES. On Sunday evening around 8 p.m., the fire companies were called
out to the Sandwash on S. Commerce Street where an old wooden wharf was on fire. Also, during
the weekend the firemen were called to the Municipal Dump a number of times to extinguish fires.
8/16/1958
FIRE AT DARE HOUSE. The fire companies were called out shortly after noon to the home of
Edgar Dare on E. Jefferson Street on Saturday. A short circuit in a wall socket began to smolder
badly. The damage was slight.
11/15/1958
WOMEN DIES FROM BURNS RECEIVED WHEN FIRE DESTROYS HOUSE. Mrs.
Lillian MacKenzie, 67, 532 Nassau Avenue, who was burned in a fire in her home early Saturday
morning, died Tuesday in Underwood Hospital, Woodbury. Mrs. MacKenzie, who resided here
for 31 years, was the widow of Murdo MacKenzie. A son, Bruce, of Paulsboro, survives her.
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Services were Thursday at the Pettit Funeral Home and burial will be in Eglington Cemetery,
Clarksboro. The 61-year-old widow was rescued from her flame swept home by the firemen of
both Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies. The woman was admitted to the hospital with
third degree burns. She also suffered from shock and smoke inhalation. The Dalbow family,
residing on nearby Lincoln Avenue discovered the fire, which apparently started in the rear of the
two-story frame dwelling, at 4 a.m., and summoned the police and firemen. Firemen carried her
down a ladder to safety from a second story window and she was taken to the hospital by the
Paulsboro Community Ambulance. The firemen brought the fire, which gutted the interior of the
dwelling, under quick control.
1959
1/08/1959
FIREMEN BUSY WITH HOUSE AND GRASS FIRES. Firemen were called out three times
on Thursday to extinguish fires. At 11:15 a.m. they responded to a fire in the closet of the home of
William Berger, Apt. 17B, Paulsboro Manor Apartments on Baird Avenue. The firemen from both
companies responded to the alarm, and said the blaze was quickly extinguished, but not before it
destroyed the closet and damaged part of the living room. Shortly after they cleared from that fire,
they were dispatched to a grass fire on Delaware and Roosevelt. Around 2 PM another call came
in for a grass fire at 611 Mantua Avenue.
1/17/1959
CHIMNEY AND CAR FIRE. The fire companies were called out to a car fire in front of the Hill
Theatre at 12:10 p.m. on Saturday. Later that evening they responded to a chimney fire at the
Beverly Jane Restaurant, at 9 W. Broad Street, around 8:45 p.m.
1/29/1959
TWO GRASS FIRES. The fire department was called out two times on Friday for grass fires. At
10 a.m. it was a grass fire in back of the high school, and at 11 a.m. it was to control a grass fire on
Railroad Avenue.
2/12/1959
FIREMEN BUSY WITH FIRES. The local firemen have had a real busy week with grass fires.
On Sunday it was a grass fire on Greenwich Avenue. On Tuesday the firemen were called to a
heater fire at the Berkley Manor Apartments around noontime. On Thursday they responded to a
grass fire at the foot of Mantua Avenue, near the Delaware River, about 2:30 p.m.
3/04/1959
FIRE AT MUNICIPAL DUMP. The firemen were called at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday for a fire at
the Municipal Dump, at the end of Dupont Avenue.
3/05/1959
MAN HELD ON ARSON CHARGE. Andrew Malone, 43, of 1626 S. Commerce Street, was
held for grand jury on a charge of arson at a hearing before Municipal Judge Samuel Pote.
Gloucester County Fire Marshal J. Williams testified that fires were burning in several places in
Malone’s home when firemen arrived there on Friday evening, February 27 th. Flames destroyed a
large portion of the interior in the home.
3/25/1959
FIREMEN RESPOND TO ANOTHR FALSE ALARM. The firemen were called out at 10:20
a.m. yesterday to the Paulsboro Manor. When the police arrived, they were told that no call for the
fire companies was made from the apartment complex. It was determined that the call was a false
alarm again. It was the third false alarm in the past two weeks.
6/23/1959
BARGE ON FIRE AT SAND WASH. The fire companies were called out Tuesday, at 4:30
p.m., to the old Sand Wash, on S. Commerce Street, where an old abandoned barge in the Mantua
Creek was on fire.
7/04/1959
FIRE IN CLARKSBORO. The Paulsboro Fire Company was on of seven fire companies that
battled an early morning blaze at a mushroom plant in Clarksboro. Considerable damage was done
to the building.
8/18/1959
2 CHILDREN DIE IN FIRE AT THE PAULSBORO MANOR. (See Large Article Section)
8/20/1959
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PAULSBORO MAN INTERFERES AT FIRE; FINED $100. John Parker of Apt. 15-A,
Paulsboro Manor Apartments, was fined $100 and $5 court costs at a special hearing before Judge
Samuel Pote. Parker was arrested on the complaint of Councilman Earl Miller, that he used foul
and offensive language toward firemen as they fought an early morning blaze on Tuesday that
took the lives of two small children. Four firemen were witnesses to the incident.
9/03/1959
FIREMEN RECOVERING FROM INJURIES. Firemen Dayton Cooper and Robert Kinkade,
two Paulsboro firemen who were burned seriously on August 18 th, as they attempted to save two
children from their blazing apartment, are home from Underwood Hospital and are slowly
improving. Neither has been allowed to go back to work by their doctors.
9/05/1959
STATE FIRE MARSHAL MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS AFTER FIRE. Councilman
Carleton Kandle, Chairman of the Public Property Committee, reported at the regular meeting of
the Borough Council that the State Fire Marshal had made an inspection of the Paulsboro Manor
Apartments. He told members of council that the Fire Marshal would make recommendations that
the FHA, the agency that controls the property, be made to install firewalls throughout the
development. He also added that they would be told to install fire escapes where apartments are
located a distance from the main stairway leading from the second floor. Kandle said that they had
made an inspection of the Berkley Manor, on Cedar Avenue, together, and found no major fire
hazards.
9/24/1959
GARAGE ON FIRE. The local fire companies were called out to 42 Riverfront Avenue shortly
after 7 PM Thursday, where a garage was on fire. The firemen extinguished the blaze quickly.
10/08/1959
FIREMEN DRILL AT SCHOOL. The local firemen conducted a drill last evening at 6 o’clock
at the Loudenslager School as part of Fire Prevention Week.
10/13/1959
WASHING MACHINE FIRE. The Paulsboro Fire Department responded to a call Tuesday and
extinguished a washing machine fire at 394 Dupont Avenue.
11/04/1959
TWO GRASS FIRES. The local fire companies were called out twice on Wednesday for grass
fires. The first call was at Broad and Cedar in back of the Texaco Service Station, around 3 PM.
The next call was about an hour later in the rear of the Billingsport Methodist Church.
1960
1/09/1960
FLAMES DAMAGE HOME ON W. MONROE ST. Flames believed to have started from a
defective floor oil heater destroyed half a double dwelling at 116 & 118 W. Monroe St. early
Saturday morning. The part occupied by Mrs. Lucille Robinson and her 12 year old son, at 118,
was completely destroyed inside and she lost all her furniture, clothing, food and money. Mrs.
Robinson and son climbed out a rear window to a back porch roof and escaped death by the
slimmest of margins. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Knecht and their four children were asleep, at 116,
but were able to get out. Water from the fire hoses doused and damaged their bedding. Fortunately
no one was injured from the fire. The firemen did a good job in the bitter cold weather and kept
the flames from destroying the entire house and from also spreading to nearby houses.
1/27/1960
TANK EXPLODES AT DIXON CHEMICAL, MAN DIES. (See Large Article Section)
2/02/1960
TRASH FIRE AT GAS STATION. The fire companies were called out Tuesday at 2:55 p.m. to
the rear of the old Sinclair Service Station, on East Broad Street, across from the bowling alleys,
where some mischievous boys set some trashcans afire.
2/14/1960
FIRE RUINS HOME ON GREENWICH AVENUE. A fire at noon, on Sunday, wrecked the
frame home of Everett Youker, at 329 Greenwich Avenue, forcing him to flee in sub-freezing
temperatures and injuring four firemen. The fire broke out in the basement and seriously damaged
the interior of the 1-½ story house, Fire Chief Robert Jolley reported. Firemen from Paulsboro and
Billingsport companies were hampered in fighting the blaze by falling snow and ice conditions
caused by water freezing as it was poured on the house. Youker, a retired Mobil Oil Co. employee,
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was uninjured in fleeing from his home where he lived alone. Chief Jolley said an overheated
heater probably caused the blaze. He could not estimate the loss. Three firemen were treated at
Underwood Hospital, Woodbury, and a fourth was treated at the scene. Taken to the hospital were
Charles Askin, for smoke inhalation, Harry Luellen and Wes McGill for cut hands on broken
glass. Treated at the scene was Frank Newton, for smoke inhalation. All are members of the
Billingsport Fire Co. Chief Jolley was assisted in directing firemen by Assistant Chief Norman
Mower. Neighbors supplied hot coffee for the firemen. Mr. Youker went to live with his daughter
on Pine St. after the fire.
2/28/1960
FIRE DESTROYS GARAGE, PERSON HURT. A Paulsboro man was treated Sunday at
Underwood Hospital, in Woodbury, for second degree burns of the right hand sustained in a fire
which destroyed his garage at 267 Vanneman Boulevard. Andrew Ford Jr. said the fire resulted
from gasoline on his hand and clothing being ignited when the stock racing car he was working on
backfired. Ford said he and his brother, Carl, extinguished his blazing clothing with a blanket.
Despite his injuries, Ford who acts as a mechanic for his brother, who races stock cars, and his
brother pulled two cars from the flaming garage. The Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies
responded and prevented the flames from spreading to Ford’s home.
3/14/1960
CHILDREN ESCAPE FLAMING HOME. An exploding heater set fire to a one story, very
small frame and tar paper cottage in a field back of Swedesboro Avenue, near Morton Avenue, on
Monday afternoon around 4:30 p.m. The building was gutted, and the 5 children of Mr. and Mrs.
Roosevelt Kizee were led to safety by a neighbor who saw a puff of smoke coming from the
cottage. The local fire department responded and extinguished the blaze. The family was
completely wiped out of clothes and furniture.
3/23/1960
SMALL BUILDING DESTROYED BY FIRE. The local fire companies were called out to
Penn Line and Jefferson streets on Wednesday evening where a small building, declared unfit for
human habitation by Building Inspector Lester Milsted, was ablaze and was destroyed.
3/27/1960
WASTE OIL FIRE AT WELDING SHOP. Late Sunday afternoon, a pool of waste oil at
Manchester’s Welding Service on Crown Point Road, at the end of the causeway about a mile east
of Paulsboro, caught on fire and dark billows of smoke shot into the air. The Thorofare, Paulsboro
and Billingsport fire companies were called, to stand-by in event the oil fire would get out of
control.
5/18/1960
“SMOKE” CAUSES FIRE ALARM. The local fire companies were called out Wednesday at
11:30 a.m. to a call at Johnnie and Domenick’s BarberShop, next to Hughie’s Diner on Delaware
Street. The “smoke” was from an insecticide being used while the barbershop was closed all day
on Wednesday.
5/19/1960
FIREMEN PRESENTED WITH AWARD. The U. S. Navy presented a Distinguished Civil
Service Award to Dayton Cooper, of Paulsboro, an employee at the Naval Air Material Center, for
his heroic efforts to save two children during a fire at the Paulsboro Manor Apartments last
August. Rear Admiral H. P. Weatherwax presented the award, the highest honorary award the
Secretary of the Navy can grant to a civilian employee. Cooper, a member of the Paulsboro Fire
Company, during a fire last August climbed through a second floor window and went into the
blazing building to find two children trapped in the flames. After finding the bodies of the children
and handing them to firemen waiting on the ladder outside, Cooper climbed out but the flames
seared a large portion of his back. As he stepped on to the ladder, hot tar from melting asphalt
shingles burned his hands and he fell from the second story.
6/08/1960
FIRE IN CLOSET. The fire department responded to the home of Ludy Mae Streeper, of 336
Mantua Avenue, for a fire in a closet. No serious damage was done.
6/28/1960
FIRE DESTROYS BUILDING AT BINDER COOPERAGE. An estimated $25,000 resulted
from a blaze in a warehouse of the Binder Cooperage Co., on Mantua Avenue, Tuesday afternoon,
according to Paulsboro Fire Chief Robert Jolley. The flames, fought by both local fire companies,
broke out at 4:10 p.m. and was brought under control at 5:45 p.m., Jolley said. He said he was
unable to determine the cause of the fire. The blaze damaged the roof in front of the building,
63
burned through the second floor, destroyed two of the walls and badly damaged the other two.
Charles Amey, of the Paulsboro Fire Co., was treated at Underwood Hospital, Woodbury, for
smoke inhalation. John Hill, firemen, was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Carleton
Kandle, Councilman and president of the Paulsboro Fire Company, was treated at the scene after
being overcome by the heat.
8/12/1960
BED AFIRE ON MANTUA AVENUE. The firemen responded to the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Tighe, at 328 Mantua Avenue, on Friday around 4 PM, where a bed was on fire. The damage was
kept to only the bed as the firemen quickly extinguished the fire.
10/21/1960
FIREMEN RESPOND TO FIRE IN GIBBSTOWN. The Paulsboro firemen were called out to
a blaze at the home of Earl Norman on Swedesboro Avenue, on the Gibbstown side of Berkley
Road, Friday around 2:31 p.m. The fire broke out in the upper part of the rear of the house and
was attributed to sparks from an overheated chimney by fire officials. Norman was the only
occupant of the house at the time of the fire and was not injured. The fire caused extensive damage
to the rear of the house.
10/29/1960
MAN SUFFOCATED BY SMOKE ON W. ADAMS ST. A faulty heater is believed to have
caused a blaze which destroyed the interior of half a double house at 229 W. Adams St., shortly
after 1 a.m. Sunday and the smoke suffocated the tenant, Oscar Burton, 65. He retired from Mobil
Oil Co. 7 months ago. His housekeeper, Helen Roots, was saved by a number of youngsters who
were passing by when they saw the smoke pouring out of the house and heard her yelling for help
from a rear second floor window. The youths formed a human ladder to the roof of a shed, in the
rear of the property, and helped Mrs. Roots out of the smoke filled home. They were unable to get
Mr. Burton out, as they were chased off the roof by police officers. The youths who rescued the
woman were James Good, Charles Taylor Jr., Walter Chambers and Stanley Howard. The dead
man was removed to the roof of the shed and oxygen was administered, but to no avail. Dr. Alvin
Thomas of Paulsboro was summoned. He lives about two blocks away. He pronounced the man
dead and in turn, Coroner David Brewer was summoned and declared that the death was due to
asphyxiation. The community and the family of the dead man are grateful to the four young men
for their rescue of Mrs. Roots and attempted rescue of Mr. Burton. Mrs. Roots expressed her
thanks to the youths for their rescue of herself. The firemen fought the blaze for about two hours.
They claim that a spectator broke a front window on the first floor and the flames swooshed
through the first floor, damaging the interior badly. Homer Lyle, who lived next door, on the other
side of the double house, was awakened by the smoke and gave the alarm. They got out safely and
were staying with friends. President of the Paulsboro Fire Co., and Councilman Carleton Kandle
and Paulsboro firemen Joe Zeno were given oxygen after considerable smoke inhalation. Grover
DeVault, of the Billingsport Company, suffered a cut finger. According to Mr. Kandle, Sgt. James
Lloyd and Patrolman Nick Miskofsky, on police duty at the time, were the first to arrive and
carried Mr. Burton out of the smoke filled dwelling.
1961
1/03/1961
CAR CATCHES FIRE. The Paulsboro Fire Co. was called out at 2 p.m. Tuesday to Delaware
and Adam streets when the wires on the car of Joseph Magazu, of Gibbstown, caught his 1958
Ford on fire. His car was only slightly damaged.
2/21/1961
COUNCIL TO GIVE ALLOWENCE TO FIREMEN. The borough council adopted a
resolution on Tuesday night to compensate each fireman at the rate of $25 each for clothing
allowance. There are 38 active firemen between both the fire companies in town. To be eligible for
the money, each fireman must answer 50% of fires and drills for the year.
3/15/1961
ELMER MATTSON TO HEAD EXEMPT ASSOC. A joint meeting of the Firemen’s Exempt
and Relief Associations was held in the Paulsboro firehouse on Wednesday evening. President
Carleton Kandle presided over the regular meeting of the Relief Association. The Exempt meeting
was held immediately after. The following were elected for the present year: Elmer Mattson,
president; William Gerstenlauer, vice president; Ben Fish, financial sec.; Emil Mower, recording
sec. Twenty five members attended the meeting.
4/04/1961
64
GRASS FIRE. The local fire companies were called out to a grass fire near the corner of
Riverview and Greenwich avenues Tuesday evening around 7:30 p.m.
4/10/1961
SERIOUS FIRE AVERTED IN PAULSBORO BUSINESS CENTER. Early discovery and
quick action by Paulsboro firemen prevented what could have been a major fire in the center of the
business district early Monday morning. A fire was discovered at the rear upper part of Frank’s
Café, 1110 N. Delaware Street, at 3:45 AM by a newspaper delivery man, who told the Paulsboro
police that he smelled smoke as stopped to leave papers off at the Wilson’s Luncheonette, just a
few doors away from the scene of the fire. Firemen arrived at the scene about 3:55 and confined
the blaze to a small section of the building. The cause of the fire, according to the owner of the
building, John Minniti, was an electric short circuit in the neon tubing that runs around the lower
eaves of the café. The fire was mainly situated in the unoccupied upper story of the building,
which is to be renovated. Mr. Minniti estimated the amount of damage to be about $1000.
5/04/1961
TRUCK DITCHED IN MANTUA CREEK. The local police and fire companies were notified
last Thursday shortly after midnight that a car had gone overboard into the Mantua Creek, at
Chew’s wharf, at the foot of New Street. Olive Biernacki, who lives half a block up S. Commerce
St., was in his second floor bedroom when he noted a red pickup truck driving at a fast clip
towards Broad Street on Commerce, then turn into New St., then backed up. Then the pickup truck
drove down the wharf driveway, stopped in the middle of the wharf, then plunged overboard, over
the bulkhead. He notified his parents, who drove to the wharf where the lights of the vehicle were
still burning under the water. Mrs. Biernacki went to the police station two blocks away and
notified them of the problem. The police in turn summoned the Paulsboro Fire Company. A large
tow truck was used to pull the truck from the creek. The volunteers worked from 12:30 until 2:30
a.m. to get the truck out of the water. The local underwater team composed of police officer
Anthony Giordano, Harry Peterson and Richard Johnson descended into the murky waters of the
creek and helped in chaining the truck underwater, to be pulled out. Everyone, the firemen, police
officers and underwater rescue team deserve credit for their untiring efforts, as at first it was
believed that the truck might have contained a body or two. The Paulsboro police checked the
registration of the vehicle and found it had been stolen from a man in Oaklyn.
5/31/1961
GRASS FIRE DAMAGES GARAGE. The fire companies were called out to a grass fire behind
the garage of Mrs. Minnite, of Chestnut and Wood streets. The fire slightly damaged the garage.
6/01/1961
SHACK DESTROYED BY FLAMES. Both local fire companies were called out at 11:17 p.m.
Wednesday evening to a fire on Brown’s Row, to a one story, small frame shack occupied by Sam
Wilson. The elderly man was overcome by smoke and was rushed to Underwood Hospital, where
he was given emergency treatment. Fire again broke out at 2:12 on Thursday morning at the same
place and the fire companies were called out and once again got the flames under control. The
small shack was badly charred. Brown’s Row is located on Riverview Avenue, just off Ferry
Road, near the Sportsmen’s Club.
6/05/1961
TRASH FIRE ON MANTUA AVENUE. The local fire companies were called out to a fire at
the Binder Cooperage, on Mantua Avenue, where a trash bin was ablaze. No real damage was
done.
6/22/1961
FIRE DEPT. HELPS NATIONAL PARK FIREMEN. The Paulsboro Fire Dept. was called to
National Park to help their firemen extinguish an asphalt oil truck that had caught fire. The oil had
leaked out of the tank and caught fire. The fire then proceeded to cause the gasoline tank on the
truck explode. The flaming oil then began running to a nearby stream.
7/16/1961
DINER ON BROAD STREET CATCHES FIRE. The local fire companies were called out
Sunday morning, shortly after 10 o’clock, to Smitty’s Diner on West Broad Street, opposite of
Wert Avenue. The kitchen in the rear of the building was discovered ablaze. Most of the damage
was confined to the kitchen. The diner will be closed for about three weeks for repairs.
8/02/1961
LAUNDRY TRUCK BURNS ON MONROE STREET. The local fire companies were called
out at 7:30 a.m. yesterday when a laundry truck caught fire on East Monroe Street. The truck,
belonging to the White Star Laundry, of Pitman, was parked along the railroad where Beacon
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Avenue crosses Monroe Street. The vehicle was filled with laundry when its engine caught fire.
Damage to the contents was slight, but the engine was destroyed.
9/18/1961
FALSE ALARM AT DRESS CO. The fire company was called out Monday evening around
6:52 p.m. to a false alarm at the Paulsboro Dress Company on S. Delaware Street when the
automatic fire alarm system went off. No reason was discovered as to why it went in alarm.
11/29/1961
MANY GRASS FIRES. The fire companies are answering a lot of grass fires lately. They were
called out twice on Tuesday and two more times on Wednesday. On the 28 th, they put out fires at
Commerce and Adams streets, and in the rear of 407 Billingsport Road. On the 29 th the fires were
at #rd and Lincoln and another one on S. Delaware street near Route 130.
1962
1/09/1962
CAR ON FIRE IN FRONT OF FIREHOUSE. The local fire companies were called to a car
blaze at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. A green Buick was smoking in front of the Paulsboro Firehouse. The
firemen responding to the scene ran across the street, but the flames were out when they got there.
1/16/1962
FIREMEN RESPOND TO “SANDWICH” FIRE. The fire companies were called to a house
fire on W. Buck Street on Tuesday at 9 p.m. Upon their arrival they saw a large amount of smoke
coming from the rear of the residence of John Reynolds. When the firemen entered the house, they
found that two sandwiches were left cooking on top of the stove unattended and burned badly.
1/17/1962
GRASS FIRE. The local fire companies were called out to a grass fire Wednesday afternoon
around 3:45 PM at Second St. and Billings Avenue.
1/23/1962
GRASS FIRE ON ROUTE 130. The fire department was called out Tuesday afternoon at 1:30
for a grass fire at Delaware and Berkley Road. The fire started in the middle section of Rt.130 and
then jumped across the highway toward the Masonic Temple on Berkley Road. For awhile the
strong wind carried the fire towards some houses and heavy brush in the area. The firemen quickly
contained the flames.
2/04/1962
FIRE AT PAULSBORO GARDENS. The fire companies were called out to the Paulsboro
Gardens Sunday morning around 9:45, when a young child playing with a lighter set fire to the
bed clothing on the second floor of the apartment. The mother and children, ranging from ages 1
to 9, fled the house to the street, said Fire Chief Norman Mower. The firemen were able to contain
the flames to the second floor where most of the bedding and clothing was destroyed. The local
welfare department, under Carleton Kandle, secured drugs and a doctor for the mother who was
suffering from shock.
2/26/1962
TWO GRASS FIRES CALL OUT FIREMEN. The local fire companies were called out twice
yesterday for grass fires. The first at 1 PM was on DuPont Avenue; the second was at 3 PM at
Sixth and Mantua.
3/20/1962
TRASH FIRE CAUSES SCARE. A fire in a trash pile in the alley behind the Hill Theatre
Sunday afternoon, nearly proved disastrous in the high wind, had it not been discovered by
Herman Marrison of Shelley’s Restaurant at 7 W. Broad Street. He phoned in the fire alarm and in
very quick time the firemen responded and put the flames out. Trash had been deposited in the rear
of several of the business houses in that area and it caught fire from an undetermined source.
Borough Council Tuesday night instructed the police department to inform the merchants in that
area, not to pile rubbish and waste paper in the rear of the stores. One of the garage doors in the
rear of Hamburg’s Dept. store started to scorch, and had not the flames been put out as fast as they
were, half of the business area in the center of the town could have been destroyed. A letter,
published below, was mailed to Borough Council, praising the fast work of the firemen: “Dear
Sirs, On Sunday I called the Paulsboro Fire Department in reference to a fire behind the Hill
Theatre. I wish to compliment the efficiency of the firemen in extinguishing the fire. This could
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have been a major disaster for the business district of Paulsboro. By the time I reported the fire,
the wind had strewn burning wood, rubbish and trash about the alleyway and had started to burn a
garage with an automobile inside. I am happy to report that no serious damage was done, but may
I repeat, if it was not for the fast time in which the fire companies reached the fire after the
telephone call, it could have been a sad affair. Again, may I compliment all members who
participated in extinguishing this fire. Sincerely, Herman Marrison, of Shelley’s Restaurant.” The
fire companies were also called out two other times on Sunday for small fires. The first call was at
12:30 p.m. for a grass fire. The other was for another grass fire at the old Sandwash on S.
Commerce Street, at 4:30 p.m.
3/291962
GRASS FIRE NEAR COAL YARD. Sunday afternoon, shortly after 2 PM, a grass fire started in
the rear of the Frances Turner home on Cox Avenue. It soon spread to the grass at Stetser’s Coal
Yard, across the street. The fire companies arrived within a short time and put the blaze out before
it could spread further. There have been 11 grass and brush fires since Saturday. This means that
thousands of dollars worth of fire equipment had to be used because of carelessness of people
when they are burning their trash.
4/13/1962
PAULSBORO FIREHOUSE BURNS DOWN. (See “Firehouse Burns Down” Section)
4/13/1962
COUNCIL MEETS ON FIRE LOSS. Mayor Damminger presided at a special meeting of
Borough Council. Councilmen Billbrough, Kandle, Ridinger and Rosen were present. Mayor
Damminger stated that the meeting was called for the purpose of discussing action to replace the
fire trucks and equipment either destroyed or damaged in the fire which destroyed the Paulsboro
Firehouse at 5 a.m. Friday morning. The various insurance policies covering the trucks were
discussed with Samuel Pote, Insurance Broker for the Borough. Billbrough stated that the
American LaFrance fire truck damaged in the fire should be replaced in the same condition as it
stood before the fire. Billbrough moved, and Rosen seconded, that the Solicitor be authorized to
draw a resolution requesting the Director of Local Government for permission for an Emergency
Appropriation of $30,000 to replace the fire engine which was completely destroyed by the fire.
All councilmen voted yes on the motion. Councilman Kandle, Director of Public Safety, stated 35
firemen must be fully equipped immediately. Billbrough moved and Kandle seconded that the
Solicitor be authorized to request for permission to transfer a surplus from the Sewer Capital
Account to a General Account under Fire. Once again all voted yes on the motion. Kandle stated
that the Paulsboro Fire Company had requested permission to use the Emergency Rescue Truck in
the Parade in Woodbury on the 14th. Billbrough moved and Rosen seconded that the firemen be
granted to use the truck in the parade providing it is returned to Paulsboro immediately after the
parade. All voted yes on the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
4/26/1962
CAR FIRE ON PENN LINE ROAD. The local fire companies were called to a car fire on
Pennline Road, near the Battaglia Coal Yard, around 7:30 p.m.
5/03/1962
FIRE CO. TALKS TO COUNCIL. At a recent borough council meeting Ben Fish, representing
the Paulsboro Fire Company, told of the problems involving a new firehouse and asked for the
help of council in arriving at a conclusion. He asked if it were possible for council to donate the
ground of the former Miller property, on N. Commerce Street, now the property of the borough.
He also stated that the company owns a lot on Huff Avenue, and also the ground of the location
where the building was destroyed by fire. Mrs. William Munyon, whose property adjoins the lot
on Swedesboro Avenue, who has been approached to sell, will sell for a nominal sum of $11,000,
but the company hesitates to purchase until enumerating all possibilities. The estimated cost of a
new firehouse would be $50,000, Fish stated, while $10,000 insurance was held on the old
property. Announcement was made of the official opening of the drive for funds next Saturday.
Mayor Damminger asked the company to set a date convenient for them to meet with the
governing body to discuss their rebuilding problems. Council is working out the replacement of
the LaFrance, but nothing can be done according to Billbrough until he hears from the insurance
company. The fire engine was insured for $12,500. The Fire Company requests a new Mack truck,
1000GPM and 500 gallon booster tank.
6/07/1962
2 FIRE TRUCKS & AMBULANCE TO BE BOUGHT. When only a handful of taxpayers
showed up at the Borough Council meeting Tuesday night to protest the adoption of an Ordinance
to spend $73,650 for 2 new fire engines and 1 ambulance, Borough Council unanimously adopted
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the ordinance, and it became a fact. Only Councilman William Bonner was absent. The other
councilmen present; Gattuso, Billbrough, Kandle, Ridinger and Rosen voted for the measure.
6/15/1962
VFW PRESENTS FLAG TO FIRE CO. On Friday evening at a special meeting of the PVFA
#1, the Ladies Auxiliary of the George D. Patton, Jr., VFW Post #678, presented a beautiful
American parade flag to the fire company. Marie Burnell made the presentation in a colorful
ceremony, for the Auxiliary. Dayton Cooper, president of the fire association, accepted the flag on
behalf of the company, who suffered a tragedy of losing everything in their recent fire.
7/05/1962
TRUCK AFIRE NEAR A & P MARKET. A tractor-trailer caught on fire at W. Broad street
near the A & P Market Thursday morning at 1:50 am. The firemen quickly extinguished the fire.
7/08/1962
FIREMEN HAVE CHICKEN DINNER. The Paulsboro firemen served 555 BBQ chicken
dinners at their event last Sunday at the Masonic Hall.
7/12/1962
WASTE OIL AFIRE. The local fire companies were called out Wednesday evening to fight a
fire at the Patterson Oil Company. A pool of waste oil caught on fire. The fire was allowed to burn
itself out.
8/16/1962
SOFTBALL GAME WITH JUNGLE GIANTS. Everything is set for the softball game between
the Okinawa Jungle Giants, in their jungle finery, and the members of the PVFA #1, this coming
Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Paulsboro High School athletic field. This is a benefit
performance for the Building Fund of the Fire Company. The Jungle Giants from Okinawa, off the
coast of Japan, will be dressed in all their finery. (We understand that there are no jungles in
Okinawa.) The lineups will be as follows: The Giants – Peanuts Pyonni, 3b; Whitey Watusi, lf;
Moose Mazuma, rcf; Duke Dio Do Do, lcf; Pee Wee Macoomba, c; Scooter Katoonga, ss; Stretch
Strambula, 1b; Reds Rakzula, 2b; Babe Bambula, rf; Lefty Pio Pa Pa, pitcher. The firemen’s team
will be composed of the following: Donald Bell, c; Bob Kinkade, pitcher; Ed McMahon Jr., 1b;
Bill Widener, 2b; Jack Suiter, 3b; Bruno Pavlovski, rf; Frank Schumtz Jr., ss; Frank Scheetz, cf;
and Allen McBride, lf.
10/12/1962
DRILL AT SHADY LANE HOME. The fire companies participated in a large fire drill at the
Shady Lane Home in Clarksboro on Monday.
10/25/1962
FIRE SIREN SHOULD BE INSTALLED. “This newspaper (The Record) received a number of
complaints in the past few days that the Paulsboro Fire Co., fire siren, which was taken down after
the firehouse burned down last April, has not been installed, or if it has, it cannot be heard in the
upper part of town. This newspaper phoned the mayor’s home and left a note about the situation.
We hope that the Mayor and Council, the Fire Company and Civilian Defense Corps will see to it
that the siren is installed immediately, at some high and central location. It is hard to hear the
Billingsport siren, at times, when the wind is blowing away from town.
11/22/1962
DELIVERY TRUCK ON FIRE. A delivery truck was partially destroyed Monday shortly after
11 a.m. on Wood Street, near Delaware Street, in front of the Superior Coat Co. cutting room on
Wood Street. The truck, driven by Ernest Wallace, of Philadelphia, had stopped in front of the
place to make a delivery. As Wallace opened the rear doors of the panel truck, smoke and flames
billowed out of the rear of the truck and he fell back unhurt. Wallace played streams of chemicals
from 2 fire extinguishers until the Paulsboro and Billingsport firemen arrived. The body of the
panel truck was damaged and the entire load was a loss from the flames and water.
11/24/1962
FIRE SIREN TESTED. The local fire siren was blown several times Saturday morning around
10 o’clock. It was being tested after being reinstalled. The siren was damaged from the firehouse
fire in April.
12/13/1962
GRASS FIRE. The fire companies were called to a grass fire on Saturday afternoon at 429
Mantua Avenue.
1963
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3/04/1963
KEROSENE STOVE SMOKE NEARLY SUFFOCATES FAMILY. The fire companies were
called out shortly after 1 a.m. this morning to a home of Franklin Moorehouse, 237 Billings
Avenue, where a kerosene oil heater, used for heating purposes, defaulted and filled the house
with smoke. The barking of a dog awakened the head of the family, who summoned help from the
fire department from a neighbor’s house.
3/21/1963
RASH OF GRASS FIRES FOR FIRE CO. The fire companies were called out three times
recently for grass fires.
4/14/1963
TENDER’S PARADISE INN DESTROYED BY FIRE. The Paradise Inn, owned and operated
by Elija “Lodgie” Tender for many years on Old Crown Point Road and Mantua Grove Road, in
West Deptford, was burned out at midnight on Easter Sunday. Only the four walls still stand. The
first blaze was discovered on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Many fire companies from the area, including
Paulsboro, responded. They confined the blaze to the kitchen and a small part of the interior.
Because there are no fire hydrants in that area, the Paulsboro Fire Co. had to relay water to the fire
from more than a mile away. Also water had to be used from Shell Chemical Co. about a quarter
mile away. The second fire burst forth around midnight, after smoldering about 12 hours, and
burned out the remaining of the interior. Fortunately no one was injured. Total damage is
estimated at around $100,000. No one knows the initial cause of the fire.
4/16/1963
FIRE AT DIXON CHEMICAL. The fire department was called out Tuesday morning to the
Dixon Chemical Co., where several piles of sulfur were on fire. Damage was slight.
4/17/1963
GRASS FIRE AT VFW HOME. The fire companies were called out Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. to
a grass fire in back of the VFW home on N. Commerce Street.
4/23/1963
FIREMEN EXTINGUSH CAR FIRE. The fire department was called out Tuesday at 11:45 AM
to Delaware and Roosevelt streets where a car was on fire. Firemen put it out with an extinguisher.
6/02/1963
STOVE FIRE ON WASHINGTON ST. The fire companies were called out Sunday morning at
9:21 a.m. to 259 W. Washington Street, where a frying pan on the stove was on fire. Little damage
was done.
8/01/1963
LIGHTNING SETS OFF TANK EXPLOSION. A 30,000-gallon tank at the Sinclair Refining
Co.’s Patterson Terminal in Paulsboro exploded last night after being struck by lightning. The
tanks contents, ethyl acrylite, spilled over the ground and ignited. “All you could see was fire in
the sky as we approached,” said a member of the Billingsport Fire Company. About 12 feet in
diameter and 30 feet long, the acrylite tank is about 200 yards from the tank farm’s 3rd street gate,
near the boiler and locker rooms. About 50 feet away stands a tank containing bunker fuel. Other
tanks in the immediate area of the explosion hold fuel oil. The plant also stores large quantities of
high-octane aviation gasoline as well as jet fuel for the Air Force. The Paulsboro and Billingsport
fire companies extinguished the blaze in about 15 minutes. They remained in action until 11:40
p.m. cooling the toxic liquid. The plant fire chief, Sheldon Fawns, said it was fortunate that the
end of the tank blew out. "She could have done a lot of damage if she had split her sides and
sprayed the blazing stuff on the other tanks,” he said. The explosion came about 9:50 p.m. during
the height of a severe electrical storm. No one was injured in the explosion or fire.
10/14/1963
FIRE IN WOODS. The local fire department was called out Monday afternoon around 4 o’clock,
to Second and Billingsport Road, for a grass fire in the piece of woods between Second and Ferry
Avenue. The blaze was extinguished quickly.
10/30/1963
TWO GRASS FIRES. The firemen were called out two times fir grass fires Wednesday. During
the afternoon they responded to a grass fire on the 400 block of Greenwich Avenue. During the
evening there was a grass fire on Swedesboro Avenue.
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1964
1/01/1964
PAULSBORO AMBULANCE IN ACCIDENT. Paulsboro’s Community Ambulance was badly
damaged on New Year’s Day at 11 o’clock at the overpass on Gateway Blvd. in Westville. The
operators of the ambulance were Dayton Cooper and Jack Suiter, both, members of the Paulsboro
Fire Company. They were taking Mr. Ernest Benne, of 23 Capitol Street, to Graduate Hospital in
Philadelphia. Mrs. Benne who was in the ambulance was injured from the crash. She was injured
on her right side and Cooper received an injury to his knee. Mr. Benne was transferred to the
Woodbury ambulance and continued to the hospital. Dr. DiMarino in Paulsboro treated Mrs.
Benne. The Paulsboro ambulance collided at the point near the Westville station, with a car of a
doctor on his way to Graduate Hospital.
1/07/1964
COUNCIL BALKS AT FIRE CHIEFS RE-APPOINTMENT. At the re-organization meeting
of the Borough Council, all of the Mayor’s appointments were confirmed with the exception of
Fire Chief Norman Mower. Upon the motion of President of Council Domenic Gattuso, seconded
by David Rosen, Mower's appointment was held up. Councilmen Billbrough, Gattuso, Rosen and
Long voted to hold up the nomination. Councilmen Kandle and Ridinger voted against the
measure, indicating that they sided with the Mayor. Mayor Damminger stated “I will not submit
another name and it’s up to President of Council to make the appointment after 30 days.”
1/09/1964
“STEAM” CAUSES FIRE ALARM. The fire companies were called out at 2:40 Tuesday
morning in the bitter cold when someone saw steam vapor rising off the roof of Vince’s Rainbow
Room, at 1311 N. Delaware Street, and thought it was smoke from a fire. It was a false alarm.
1/11/1964
FIRE ON MONROE STREET. Around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, the fire companies were called out
to 6 E. Monroe Street where the house caught on fire from a defective heater. Twelve persons
living in the house escaped from the fire, but they were made homeless because the damage was
very considerable. Also, the firemen responded later that afternoon when a heater backfired at a
home on the corner of Overbrook and Gill Avenue.
2/08/1964
BUSY WEEK FOR FIREMEN. The fire companies were kept quite busy over the last week
extinguishing many fires. On Sunday they were called to 1008 Haskell Avenue where an
overheated stove was smoking. On Tuesday they were called to a house fire at 258 W. Adams
Street around 12:30 p.m. The blaze out before the firemen arrived. On Wednesday it was for a
grass fire at 2nd and Mantua. On Friday the fire department responded to an auto which was afire
on Broad Street in front of the Hill Theatre.
3/10/1964
GRASS AND CHIMNEY FIRES. A huge brush and grass fire at the Sandwash on S. Delaware
St. was put out by the firemen on Monday evening around 7 o’clock. The firemen allowed the
blaze to burn down some of the brush and dry grass before extinguishing the fire. On Tuesday
evening the fire companies were called out to the home of George Shaffer, of 8 S. Delaware St.,
around 9 p.m., for a chimney fire. The firemen used chemicals to put out the flames.
3/18/1964
TAR POT FIRE. The local fire companies were called out to 3rd and Beacon, about 11:45 a.m.,
where a trailer containing a burning tar pot exploded and caught on fire. The blaze was put out and
no one was injured.
3/25/1964
FIRE BELLS TESTED. All the fire whistles were blowing on Wednesday as the result of testing
to repair the fire alarm bells in the homes of the firemen. The bells have been out of operation.
3/28/1964
BOAT SET AFIRE. Someone set fire to the interior of a boat parked in Tom Barrett’s backyard
at 357 Greenwich Avenue. The boat was badly damaged; Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann is offering a
$25 reward for information and arrest of the culprit who set the fire.
4/02/1964
FIRE TRUCK IN ACCIDENT. The Billingsport fire company’s Mack fire engine was slightly
damaged Thursday while responding to a grass fire on Elizabeth Avenue. The fire truck tried to
get between two parked cars.
4/27/1964
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HOUSE AND CAR FIRE DURING WEEK. On Wednesday morning, shortly before 9 a.m., the
fire companies were called to 431 Billings Avenue, where there was a fire in the basement. It was
quickly extinguished without much damage. On Monday the firemen were dispatched to an
automobile fire on the side of the National 5 & 10 store on Broad Street.
8/17/1964
PUMPER GETS LOUD WELCOME. Screeching sirens and honking horns heralded the climax
of the Paulsboro Fire Company parade Monday evening and the new pumper backed into its
permanent home on Swedesboro Avenue. More than 30 visiting companies and groups formed the
long line of fire trucks and marchers, which moved down N. Delaware St. to the corner of
Thomson and Swedesboro Aves. Miss Summer Fire Queen, 1963-64 and her court were in the line
of march. The local police, followed by Mayor Louis Damminger and members of the Borough
Council led the parade. The Paulsboro High School marching band and unit were next. The
Paulsboro Fire Company members and Ladies Auxiliary marched in their uniforms. The visiting
firemen were entertained following the parade at the firehouse. Miss Fire Queen of 1964-65, will
be chosen Saturday night at the annual Firemen’s Carnival, which will be held at the firehouse
grounds this weekend. The carnival will begin at 6 p.m. each night.
9/25/1964
TWO BOYS DROWN IN CREEK. The bodies of two drowning victims were recovered from
the Mantua Creek early Sunday morning by scuba divers. The two Paulsboro boys were Rupert
Stewart, 11, of 12 E. Jefferson Street and Alvin Thorton, 10, of 257 W. Washington Street. The
victims and Rupert’s brother, Michael, 9, had been playing on the bulkhead along the Mantua
Creek Saturday evening, between the Broad Street bridge and the railroad bridge. Apparently the
three boys had been playing with a small boat and when the victims fell in, Michael ran for help.
Michael rushed up to Commerce Street and gained the attention of Andre Bay, George Nothdurft
and Paul Carney who ran to the scene and attempted to find the boys. The three young men dived
into the creek but failed to recover them. Paulsboro Police was notified at 6:20 p.m. and rescue
squads from ten fire companies began to pour into town. Police said the boys fell into the water
when the creek was at high tide. The search, which continued until after 10 p.m., was called off
temporarily because of the strong outgoing tide. It was resumed Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. by
the scuba divers. Shortly after both of the boys bodies were recovered. The coroner issued
certificates of accidental drowning.
10/06/1964
COUNCIL TO PURCHASE NEW ALARM SYSTEM. The Borough Council approved the
purchase of a new electronic fire alert system for the firemen at their last meeting. The new system
will replace the present method of alerting firemen by telephone. The new equipment transmits a
signal to a receiving set located in the fireman’s home and sets off a warning bell. Councilman
Carl Thompson stated the new equipment will save the borough about $2000 annually and should
pay for itself within a three-year period.
1965
2/04/1965
CHIEF ASKS FOR MORE NOTICE. Borough Fire Chief Frank Scheetz requests that one
weeks notice be given to him when organizations wish to kick off campaigns or drives using the
fire sirens. The move is necessary in order to prevent firemen from making a useless trip to the
firehouse.
3/02/1965
NEW FIRE ALARM SYSTEM WORKING OKAY. At a recent council meeting Frank
Scheetz, Borough Fire Chief, reported that the new electronic fire warning system is working
perfectly after its first two weeks of operation. Also, a request by the Paulsboro Fire Company to
attend a firemen’s parade in Bridgeport, Pa. was approved by council.
3/16/1965
MAN BURNED IN CAR FIRE. Edward Covici, Democrat Road, Gibbstown, was badly burned
early Tuesday morning, in a car fire. Covici, while smoking, apparently fell asleep in a car outside
the Kuz-Zin Café, on Monroe Street. He received 2nd and 3rd degree burns in the resulting fires.
The Paulsboro Ambulance took him to Underwood Memorial Hospital, Woodbury. Both of the
local fire companies responded to the fire.
4/30/1965
RASH OF FIRES CONCERN OFFICIALS. A rash of late evening and very early morning fires
over the past few weeks have alerted Paulsboro officials, police and State Police to the fact that
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there is an arsonist at large in the area. Houses, garages and a local tavern have been targets for the
person or persons operating in town. A grass fire and a barn burning at Bridgeport and a blaze set
in a vacant house in Gibbstown are also on the list of unusual fires. A Greenwich Avenue property
was hit twice in April. On April 7th a fire was started in a charcoal grille in the garage, and on the
28th a car was gutted by fire in the same spot. On April 14 th, a burning paper was shoved into the
cellar of Dersh’s Grille on E. Broad Street. The firemen put out the fire before it caused any more
damage other than just smoking up the place. Garage fires on Greenwich Avenue and Delaware
Street in early and late April began around 3:15 in the morning.
5/16/1965
STUBBORN HOUSE FIRE. The town firemen turned out at 3 a.m. Sunday to battle a blaze at
Walter Hinman’s residence at 6th and Beacon. The men battled the fire for two and a half-hours
following the alarm given by Mrs. Gerald Stackhouse. Phone service in Billingsport was disrupted
for several hours due to damage caused to overhead wires.
5/20/1965
MAN DROWNS IN MANTUA CREEK. A 43 year old part time Paulsboro bartender drowned
in the Mantua Creek Thursday afternoon after diving from a wharf and swimming to the center of
the creek. Two 14-year-old boys preparing to go swimming, said the victim, Charles “Skeets”
Caldwell, of Riverfront Avenue, was swimming back toward the shore when he suddenly sank
beneath the surface. The boys, Harry Morgey, of 241 W. Buck St., and Robert Lee, of the
Paulsboro Manor, said Caldwell made no outcry before he sank. The body was recovered in eight
feet of water at 3:30 PM, about half an hour after Caldwell dove from a wharf at the foot of E.
Buck Street. The Gibbstown rescue squad, summoned by the police, recovered the body.
Caldwell’s body was taken to the Petitt Funeral Home in Paulsboro.
5/27/1965
NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL, NEED FOR BOAT. “Last Thursday’s drowning in the Mantua
Creek, and the loss of two young boys in exactly the same spot eight months ago, points out one
big, bold fact that Paulsboro is a waterfront town and people drown in waterfront towns. Paulsboro
is also an unusual waterfront town in that we don’t have a rescue boat. A rescue boat probably
would not have saved the lives of these three victims, but the time may come that a boat can make
a difference. Time surely is not on the victim’s side when a boat has to be called from Gibbstown
or Pitman. The question of the municipal rescue boat was hacked around in Council about three
years ago and dropped for some reason or another. I would like to see Paulsboro acquire one good
aluminum boat, two wooden oars, two life jackets and a set of grappling hooks, then mount the
whole works on top of one of out utility trucks. With such a set-up, we could have a boat in the
water in a matter of minutes if the need arises again.”
6/15/1965
TAR-POT CATCHES FIRE. A tar-pot, being used at the former DiMedio Lumber Co., on East
Broad Street, blazed out of control at 11 a.m. Tuesday morning. Paulsboro firemen extinguished
the fire with foam, and workers putting a new roof on the old lumber shop continued their job.
6/22/1965
BLAZE RAZES GRENNWICH AVENUE GARAGE. Paulsboro and Billingsport firemen
battled another mysteriously set fire early Tuesday morning. A garage belonging to Michael
Bereznai, of 533 Greenwich Avenue, was completely destroyed by a fire which began around 2
a.m. Bereznai’s car, an outboard motor, a bike and a wagon were among the property destroyed in
the blaze.
7/13/1965
FIRE AT PAULSBORO HIGH SCHOOL. There was a scare at the Paulsboro High School
when someone set something on fire near a fuel tank. It could have proved to be a bad fire had the
firemen not extinguished it quickly.
8/21/1965
MISS SUMMERTIME QUEEN IS CROWNED. Pauline Hartswick was crowned the 1965
Miss Summertime at the conclusion of the Paulsboro Fire Company’s three day carnival. Other
finalists were Zena Lafferty, Joyce Jones, Sue Stevenson and Evelyn Jones. The 1964 Miss
Summertime Queen, Diane Tull, crowned Miss Harstwick.
11/01/1965
MAN KILLED IN BOAT FIRE. Richard Hinkle, 46, of 1014 S. Commerce Street, was killed
late Monday evening when he was caught in a blaze aboard a tugboat docked in the Mantua Creek
at the Broad Street bridge. Hinkle was sleeping aboard the tugboat “Franklin” owned by
Gellenthin Barge Lines. He had apparently been smoking at the time and dozed off. Albert
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Gellenthin, owner of the boat, claimed that Hinkle was not an employee at the time and that he had
been using the boat for sleeping quarters.
11/04/1965
GARAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE. A fire at 2:10 Thursday morning destroyed a garage and
automobile of William Thomas of 262 Greenwich Avenue. The cause of the fire is under
investigation.
12/06/1965
FIREMEN FIGHT FLAMES. Firemen had to fight two grass fires at once on Monday, within a
quarter mile of each other, near Penn Line Road and the railroad. The police and fire officials are
investigating the blazes, which were quickly extinguished.
12/26/1965
FIRE DESTROYS WELDING SHOP IN THOROFARE. Fire destroyed the Manchester
Welding Shop on Old Crown Point Road late Sunday night, around 11:30 PM, causing an
undetermined amount of damage and tying up traffic on the highway for about three hours.
Firemen were hindered by having to run their hoses nearly a mile back to the Mantua Creek and
water froze their clothing and equipment. The three fire companies called were Thorofare,
Paulsboro and Billingsport with Greenfields on standby alert. Several bottles of welding gas
exploded during the fire but no one was hurt.
12/30/1965
NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL TO FIREMEN. “Paulsboro, Billingsport and Thorofare firemen
did a good job Sunday night fighting the fire at Manchester’s Welding Shop just outside of town.
The men worked in a highly dangerous situation, under adverse conditions and in a very cold
winter night. Firemen had to lay hoses all the way into E. Broad St. for water. Four hoses broke
and before the blaze was quelled, streets and firemen were coated with ice. To all the firemen,
police and specials who responded that night, I say good job, from one who was there.”
1966
1/17/1966
LADY THANKS FIREMEN. The Paulsboro Fire Department did a good job in putting out a fire
at 336 Beacon Avenue. The lady of the house is very thankful for the quick response to her alarm.
2/21/1966
FIRE WRECKS HOME. A family of 8 was forced into the street late Monday by an oil burner
explosion that wrecked the home of Charles Frew, of 25 E. Madison Street. All escaped injury, but
the only possessions saved from the fire were the clothes that the family was wearing.
3/09/1966
FIRE THREATENS PAULSBORO APARTMENTS. Quick action by the Paulsboro Fire
Department on Wednesday morning quelled what could have been a very bad fire at the Paulsboro
Manor. An early morning fire, just off Baird Avenue, gutted one of a group of eight connected
apartments. It’s been quite awhile since the last alarm at the Manor, which is probably Paulsboro’s
greatest fire hazard. An uncontrollable fire could take out a lot of homes very quickly there.
4/30/1966
TROTTER’S APPRECIATE FIRE COMPANY. The PVFA #1 is being “repaid” this Saturday
for good service to the Paulsboro Trotting Association. The Trotter’s are putting on a benefit race
this Sunday afternoon for the firemen. The Association is showing their gratitude for the quick
responses by the fire company to grass fire alarms near their race track area.
6/23/1966
ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETS. The Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Ordinance
Committee has completed its study of the ordinance and has requested a joint meeting with
Council for discussion.
10/13/1966
FIRE POSED EXPLOSION THREAT. A trash and grass fire along the Mantua Creek
threatened to cause an explosion at the Paulsboro Sewer Plant on Tuesday afternoon. The plant
was evacuated when sparks flew across the creek from a pile of scrap wood that was burning near
some old oil drums. The sparks posed a serious threat at the Sewer Plant because, methane gas,
produced by the sewage digester, could have exploded very easily. Borough Coordinator Casto
Hall ordered two workers away from the property. Borough Council, at its last meeting, ordered
the area cleared of the oil drums, which are stacked all over the property where the fire originated.
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11/22/1966
FIRE CHIEF RESIGNS. Borough Fire Chief Frank Scheetz submitted his letter of resignation at
the regular meeting of the borough council on Tuesday night. His one sentence resignation did not
state any reason for his action.
1967
1/20/1967
FIREMEN PLAY BASKETBALL. The local firemen played a benefit basketball game against
the Paulsboro Police Department, with the proceeds going to the local recreation committee. The
policemen defeated the firemen, and in the main game the Chris Short All-Stars defeated the PHS
faculty team 60-48.
1/24/1967
FIREMEN SAVE HOUSE. Quick action by the Paulsboro Fire Department and lots of water
prevented serious damage to a house at the corner of Wood and Chestnut Streets Tuesday night.
The fire was confined beneath the roof peak near the chimney.
2/22/1967
FIRE DAMAGES BEDROOM. A second floor bedroom in the Tony Villari home at 522
Mantua Avenue was badly charred by a fire early Wednesday morning. The fire was noticed and
reported by a neighbor at 12:07 a.m. No one was home at the time and firemen had to break in to
fight the blaze.
3/02/1967
FIRE NEAR RAILROAD BRIDGE. The local firemen had to drag hose lines across the Mantua
Creek train bridge Thursday afternoon to fight a rail-side fire. Paulsboro Fire Marshal Alex
Hofmann said a trainman aboard a train that had just crossed into town apparently caused the
blaze.
6/15/1967
TWO SHACK FIRES TERMED ARSON. Local fire officials are investigating a suspected
arson case arising from fires set to a shack at 620 N. Delaware Street on Thursday and Friday
evenings. The shack has been knocked down recently but not cleaned up. Fire Marshal A.
Hofmann will have the debris hauled away.
7/04/1967
SHACK DESTROYED BY FIRE. The firemen were called away from the local 4 th of July
celebration to fight a fire at 1 Olive Street during the afternoon. One shack was destroyed; another
slightly damaged and a woodpile burned during the two-hour blaze. The cause of the fire has not
been determined according to Borough Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann.
9/15/1967
FIERY TRUCK CRASH PERILS HOMES. A tractor-trailer loaded with 15 tons of oil and wax
collided with a dump truck in Paulsboro Friday afternoon, resulting in an explosion that threatened
nearby homes. The burning vehicles tied up traffic four and half-hours and were both declared
total wrecks. Residents in nearby homes were evacuated during the blaze as firefighters from the
Paulsboro Fire Department and State Highway Dept. employees joined efforts to keep the flames
from spreading. Both drivers suffered burns and were taken to Underwood Memorial Hospital in
Woodbury. The accident occurred on W. Broad Street, near the intersection of Penn Line Road, at
4:20 p.m. Police charged the driver of the dump truck, Howard Cassidy, Gibbstown, with careless
driving. Cassidy was heading south on Broad Street and swerved into the path of the oncoming
tractor-trailer to avoid hitting a car that darted out a side street, he told police. The driver of the
tractor-trailer, Howard Wyatt, of North Carolina, was treated for burns of the face, head and right
arm and bruises on his knees. Cassidy suffered burns of both hands, his arms and his left leg. A
nose cut was closed with four stitches. Wyatt said he was hauling the oil and wax from the Mobil
Oil Co. plant in Paulsboro to a distribution terminal. The firemen kept a steady stream of water on
the burning vehicles while the highway employees spread sand around the area to keep the
burning oil from spreading. Tires blew out on both trucks. The two drivers were rushed to
Woodbury in the Paulsboro ambulance.
10/09/1967
DRILL AT BOROUGH HALL. The Paulsboro Fire Department held a fire drill at the Borough
Hall on Monday evening during fire prevention week. The firemen were “fighting” a simulated
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blaze. A smudge pot in the Borough Garage provided smoke for the drill in which two “victims”
were recovered. Out of town fire companies were called in to help with the “blaze-fighting.”
10/31/1967
MISCHIEF NIGHT FIRES. Mischief Night carried over until 1 a.m. Tuesday morning and was
loudly announced by fire sirens calling local fire companies to fight a blaze at the Lincoln Auto
Store on Delaware and Buck Streets. The fire was set in a heap of trash put out for collection and
burned up the rear wall until the firemen extinguished it. Fire seemed to be the main fun earlier in
the evening when a burning paper bag was tossed into the 1100 Bar at Delaware and Adams
Streets. A 1966 Comet was scorched at the curbside on W. Washington Street when a nearby trash
pile was set afire and the flames burnt the auto’s side.
12/25/1967
GIRL DIES IN PAULSBORO MANOR FIRE. (See Large Article Section)
12/26/1967
POLICE INVESTIGATING EMPTY HOUSE FIRE. Paulsboro firemen fought a fire that
gutted a home at 351 West Buck Street which erupted around 9:15 a.m. Sunday morning in a
supposedly empty house. The tenant, Naomi Moore, was away for the weekend when the fire
broke out. About two-thirds of the downstairs interior was destroyed by the blaze. The fire
marshal said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
1968
1/02/1968
HOME GUTTED BY FIRE. The interior of a Paulsboro home was gutted by an early morning
blaze that left seven people homeless. The fire damage was so great that the second floor collapsed
into the first floor living room. The blaze was fought in five-degree weather on Swedesboro
Avenue. Damages are estimated at $15,000.
2/05/1968
FLAMES DESTROY 6 DELAWARE STREET HOMES. (See Large Article Section)
2/20/1968
TRANSFORMER FIRE. Lightning struck an electric line at the Atlantic City Electric Company
sub-station on Billingsport Road Sunday evening disrupting electric service to portions of
Paulsboro and Gibbstown. Work crews repaired the line, but at 11:58 p.m. a circuit breaker
exploded. About 700 homes were without electricity for about one hour. Firemen from
Gibbstown, Paulsboro and Billingsport extinguished the blaze at the station.
2/27/1968
CAR AFIRE IN FRONT OF SCHOOL. The engine of a car driven by John Stowe, of Beacon
Avenue, caught fire Tuesday evening, around 8 o’clock, in front of the Billingsport School. The
local fire companies were summoned and extinguished the blaze. The engine compartment is a
total loss. The rest of the car suffered smoke and water damage.
3/04/1968
CAR ENGINE DESTROYED IN FIRE. A Thorofare man’s car engine was destroyed Monday
evening in an unusual incident. Mr. E. Wilson was approaching the Mantua Creek Bridge when he
noticed his engine overheating. Wilson pulled into Joe York’s Service Station where it was clearly
evident the engine was afire. John York, fearing for the gas station and pumps, pushed Wilson’s
vehicle several yards away where Paulsboro and Thorofare firemen extinguished the blaze.
4/02/1968
HOUSE SUFFERS FIRE DAMAGE. Firemen were called out Tuesday morning for a small fire
in the house at 722 Billings Avenue. Little damage was done.
5/06/1968
MANY ACRES BURNED IN SWAMP FIRE. Firemen fought a large swamp fire, which
burned for several hours yesterday on National Steel Co. property, between Mantua Creek and the
Delaware River just north of Paulsboro. Approximately 70 acres burned. Ten fire companies
responded to the blaze.
5/17/1968
DINER DESTROYED BY FIRE IN PAULSBORO. The Country Club Diner on West Broad
Street in Paulsboro was destroyed in an early morning blaze. The blaze forced patrons and
employees to flee the building. A Paulsboro fireman, Mervin Little, broke his ankle at the scene
and was taken to Underwood Memorial Hospital, Woodbury, for treatment. No cause of the fire
has been determined.
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7/18/1968
STATE FIRE AUXILIARY MEETS IN PAULSBORO. The Ladies Auxiliary of the PVFA #1
entertained approximately 200 women, members of the State Firemen’s Auxiliary, on Thursday
evening at the Paulsboro Firehouse. Edith Cooper, president of the Paulsboro women, offered a
cordial welcome which included many state dignitaries. Al Feldman, president of the Paulsboro
Fire Company, also addressed the women. A buffet supper followed the business session. A tour
of the building by the women brought forth many compliments on the beautiful building.
9/29/1968
MAN FLEES BURNING OIL TRUCK. Five thousand gallons of fuel oil spilled onto Rt. 295
yesterday afternoon when a tank truck overturned on the ramp to the Berkley Road overpass and
then rolled down the embankment to the highway below at the border of East Greenwich and
Gibbstown. Four separate fires, which sent smoke billowing into the sky, were triggered by the
accident. Edward Simpson, of Linwood, the driver of the truck that was completely destroyed by
the fire, escaped injury by climbing through the cab window as the truck rolled downhill. The
smoke from the blazing oil, which could be seen for miles, brought hundreds of spectators to the
scene, adding to the congestion of fire trucks and rerouted Rt. 295 traffic. According to the State
Police, Simpson was pulling up the ramp from the highway, just 90 feet south of Berkley Road.
He told police he felt the truck overturning and climbed through the window as it went over. The
truck burst into flames and the oil, which had spilled down the highway about a quarter of a mile,
also caught fire. The flames engulfed the overpass and ignited the brush on each side of the road.
East Greenwich Township Police Chief Chris Costantino called fire companies from Paulsboro,
East Greenwich, Mt. Royal, Billingsport, Repaupo and Gibbstown to contain the fires and wash
the oil from the highway. Simpson was issued a summons for careless driving. Police from
Paulsboro and Mantua directed the traffic from Rt. 295.
10/11/1968
LADIES PETITION LEGISLATURE AT MEETING. The Paulsboro Fire Company Ladies
Auxiliary is petitioning the Legislature in cooperation with the County and State Auxiliaries, to
pass legislation which would give to the widow of a volunteer fireman killed in action at a fire
$5000. It is understood that such a law has been introduced in the state legislature as the result of a
recent fireman’s death.
10/31/1968
POLICE BLAME YOUTHS FOR FIRES. Police Daniel Angelucci said this morning that he
thinks legislation should be passed to prevent a recurrence of malicious damage caused by juvenile
arsonists. “We are giving them a license to go out and do whatever they want to do on “Mischief
Night,” said Angelucci. According to the police chief, firemen were called out twice last night to
put out fires deliberately set behind two local appliance stores. At 9:37 p.m., they were summoned
to the rear of the Silver Rose Sales Co. where someone had set a paper box afire. At 10:25 p.m.,
they were called out again, this time to the rear of the Weiss Dept. Store at 39 W. Broad Street,
where a police patrol discovered another fire that had been set in the rear of the store. Both fire
could have spread and had serious consequences, said Angelucci. “Soaping windows is one thing,
but setting fires is something different,” Angelucci responded. In addition to the fire, breaking
windows seemed to be the main act of the night.
11/12/1968
MAN KILLED IN ACCIDENT IN BILLINGSPORT. A Mantua man lost his life early
Tuesday evening in an auto mobile accident involving two station wagons at the intersection of
Sixth and Greenwich Ave. Howard Goffray was traveling East on Sixth St. when he was
broadsided by a car driven by Edwin Lord, who ran the stop sign on Greenwich avenue. The
Paulsboro Ambulance took Goffray to the Underwood Hospital, Woodbury, where he was
pronounced dead on arrival. Lord, who escaped injury, was jailed in default of $500 bail and
charged with disregard for a stop sign and reckless driving. Both the local fire companies along
with police from West Deptford and East Greenwich assisted at the scene.
11/16/1968
MAN DROWNS IN MANTUA CREEK. A Gloucester City man was drowned in the Mantua
Creek near Paulsboro last night. Joseph Ellis, 38, of 515 Cumberland Street, and his son, Joseph
Jr., 11, were trying out a newly purchased canoe in the creek about 8 p.m. Paulsboro police said
the canoe overturned and both were thrown into the water. The boy swam to a small island in the
swampy area and his father reached the bank of the creek. Joseph Jr., swam back to his father, and
the father then went into the creek to retrieve the canoe, police said. He was not seen again by his
son. Joseph Jr. ran up on Route 295 and was seen by Roy Carr, a truck driver from Salt Lake City,
Utah. Carr notified West Deptford police who, in turn, called Paulsboro. All Gloucester County
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rescue squads responded to the alarm. Rescue squads recovered the body at 11 p.m. Ellis was
pronounced dead on arrival at Underwood Memorial Hospital, Woodbury, by the county medical
examiner, Dr. Roger D. Lovelace.
11/18/1968
FIRE LEAVES FAMILY OF 5 HOMELESS. A family of five was left homeless last night by a
fire that destroyed a dwelling at 9 S. Delaware Street. According to Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann
the blaze completely destroyed the tenant house which was next door to six similar row homes
destroyed by fire in February. Bertha Waisbain, a Paulsboro attorney, owned all the properties
involved in the fires. Both the Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies fought the fire, reported
to police at 7 p.m. Two firemen were injured while fighting the blaze. Albert Feldman, a
Paulsboro fireman, suffered a fractured ankle and Howard Haddock, a Billingsport fireman,
suffered a laceration on his hand when the door of the fire truck closed on it. Both were treated at
Underwood Hospital and released.
11/28/1968
TRUCKLOAD OF FURNITURE DESTROYED BY FIRE. A truckload of furniture was
destroyed by fire on Rte-295 in Greenwich Township on Thursday morning. When firemen
arrived and the driver opened the trailer, the furniture burst into a blaze. The Gibbstown,
Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies fought the blaze for an hour before it was brought under
control. The furniture was being delivered from North Carolina to New York City.
1969
2/21/1969
ANOTHER DELAWARE STREET HOUSE BURNS. The tenth fire of the year to hit
Paulsboro gutted the upstairs of a house at 1 S. Delaware Street on Friday morning. The occupants
of the house, Frank and Marie King were forced to flee the blaze that had started in an upstairs
bedroom. The cause of the fire has not been determined, and is still under investigation by
Borough Fire Marshal, Alex Hofmann.
5/18/1969
ARSON SUSPECTED IN FIRE. The Paulsboro firemen quickly extinguished a fire at an
unoccupied house at 171 West Jefferson Street on Sunday night. Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann said
he suspected the fire was the work of an arsonist. A can of gasoline was discovered under the front
porch where the fire started.
6/02/1969
THREE CHILDREN DROWN AT SANDWASH. (See Large Article Section)
7/24/1969
FIRE ON BILLINGS AVENUE. The fire companies were called out to extinguish a fire in the
home of William Capri on Billings Avenue. Little damage was done.
8/23/1969
BUILDING FIRE ON GILL AVENUE. A fire of undetermined origin at the Eastman Sound
Company, 126 Gill Avenue, Saturday morning was quickly brought under control by the
Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies. The firemen were commended by the officials of the
company for their efforts in subduing the blaze with a minimum amount of damage to the interior
of the building.
8/25/1969
STOLEN CAR SET AFIRE. A stolen car was found burning early Monday morning at the race
track property on W. Broad Street. The car, a GTO owned by a Woodbury man, was stripped of its
wheels and motor parts before it was set on fire by the thieves, who stole it from the owner’s
driveway. The Paulsboro and Billingsport firemen responded and doused the flames
12/02/1969
STATE TROOPER KILLED IN ACCIDENT. The second tragedy in less than a week struck
the Gloucester County area Tuesday night. A young State Trooper and a Pedricktown man were
killed in a grinding head-on crash on Rt. 295 between the Mantua Creek overpass and Mantua
Grove Road. The Trooper, Robert Prato, 24, of Bridgeton, was on routine patrol duty at the time
of the accident. The driver of the other car, Charles Pratz, 50, was traveling south in the
northbound lane and ran head-on into the police car, according to the State Police. Both were dead
on arrival at the Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury. The Pratz car was seen going the
wrong way on the highway several miles up the road at the Bi-Lo Service Station in Thorofare,
according to West Deptford Police Chief Walter Miller. It is believed that the Trooper’s car was
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traveling behind another car that swerved out of the way of the oncoming car. Prato had been a
Trooper for a little over a year. The Paulsboro and Thorofare fire companies responded to the
accident along with the local ambulances.
1970
1/13/1970
FIRE DAMAGES HOME OF LOCAL POLICEMAN. The home of a Paulsboro police officer
and his family was severely damaged by fire Tuesday morning. Firemen confined the fire, which
was started by the heater in their house, at 49 Roosevelt Street, to the cellar and first floor. Fire
companies from Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown responded to the call. Officer Harry
Oswald, who was home alone at the time the fire broke out, was forced to flee in his shirtsleeves
and bare feet. The family’s pet dog was not as lucky however and perished in the smoke filled
house. The firemen worked quickly to bring the fire under control and kept it from spreading to
the other side of the double house. It was feared for a while that someone might have been in the
adjoining house, but the other family was found to be not at home when the fire broke out. The
Oswald’s six children were in school when the fire started. Another home has been found for the
family who lost most of their furnishings due to heavy smoke and water damage.
1/25/1970
FIREMEN SAVE APARTMENT. Quick work by firemen from the Paulsboro and Billingsport
fire companies prevented what could have been a serious fire at the Paulsboro Garden Apartments,
Sunday night when a heater in one of the units caught fire.
2/13/1970
CELLAR OF HOUSE FLOODED WITH OIL. A mistake in a delivery of fuel oil to the wrong
house on Friday resulted in the cellar of Nick Suprun, of 320 Beacon Avenue, being flooded with
oil. The Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies were called out to stand by in case of fire while
the 254 gallons of oil was cleaned up.
3/12/1970
FAMILY LEFT HOMELESS AFTER FIRE. A Paulsboro family lost all their belongings
Thursday morning when fire gutted the interior of their home at 209 E. Broad Street. Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Booth and three of their children were at home when the fire broke out at 8:15, but didn’t
know their house was on fire until a man knocked on the front door to tell them. George Patton
who operates the Mobil Service Station next door turned in the alarm. Firemen from Paulsboro,
Billingsport and Gibbstown contained the blaze, which was reported to have started in a fireplace,
to the interior of the house in less than an hour.
4/16/1970
LETTER TO EDITOR. “God bless our police and firemen. They are called out at all hours of
the day and night in emergencies and near emergencies. If you call you can be sure they will
answer promptly. Our firemen are volunteers whose only interest is in serving the people of the
community. There are times when they are called and the fire is put out before they arrive but they
still respond to the call for help with no unkind word if they are not needed once they arrive on the
scene. I’m sure they are just thankful that the fire has been put out with no great loss of property
and no loss of life or injury. When they answer that call, many times they risk their lives and too
many times we take their services and that risk for granted. We may feel this is their job, but being
volunteer firemen it is because of their concern for others that they are firemen in the first place. In
small communities like ours I am thankful we have wonderful men who dedicate themselves
As police and firemen and are willing to risk their lives to help others. My reason for writing all
this is because of an emergency that happened in our neighborhood one night last week. A fire
started in the bedroom of one of our neighbor’s children. Fortunately the mother smelled smoke
and upon investigating, found the bed clothing smoldering on the children’s bed. The children
were awakened and sent to safety and the parents put the fire out before the firemen arrived. The
fire was reported by one of the children while the parents were putting out the fire. Within minutes
there were three police cars on the scene. The fire whistled were blowing and soon the fire trucks
arrived. All those men rushed to the scene to help because they knew there was a fire in a child’s
bedroom, and their first concern was to get there as quickly as possible. Our neighbor said she got
on her knees and thanked God she was awake to smell the smoke. She praised the police and
firemen for their promptness. It could have been a tragedy, thank God it wasn’t. We are so
fortunate to have dedicated men who are awake while we are sleeping and alert to our need in an
emergency. We ourselves have had occasion to call on the police in emergencies and the firemen
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for an ambulance and they have always been dependable when needed. When we read of the
unkind things being said about our public servants, let us be quick to give them the praise they
deserve. Again I say, God bless our police and firemen.” (Mary Knestaut, a former councilwoman
of Paulsboro, wrote this article. The fire she is referring to happened next door to her at 432
Thomson Avenue, the home of Walter and Irma Stevenson. One of the children who helped his
parents put out the fire that night was Gary Stevenson, who would 25 years later, become Chief of
the Paulsboro Fire Department).
5/05/1970
APARTMENT DAMAGED BY FIRE. The interior of a garage apartment at 1108 Pennline St.,
was gutted by fire Tuesday morning about 3:30 am. An oil heater caused the fire according to Fire
Marshal Alex Hofmann. Hofmann said he recommended the building, containing two apartments,
be condemned and torn down in 1965, when he found it to be a fire hazard at that time. Firemen
from Billingsport and Paulsboro responded and quickly brought the blaze under control.
5/17/1970
FAMILY OF SEVEN ROUTED BY FIRE. A fire of undetermined cause here early Sunday
destroyed the home of a family of seven. According to Police Chief Daniel Angelucci, Harry
Brander of 225 Billings Avenue, a passing motorist, informed police of the fire at the home of
Paul O’Brien, 121 East Madison Street, about 6:09 p.m. When firemen from Paulsboro and
Billingsport fire companies arrived on the scene, Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann said Mr. O’Brien
was on the lawn with a garden hose attempting to douse the flames. Mrs. O’Brien and the five
children, ages nine to thirteen months, were visiting elsewhere. Hofmann said O’Brien was taken
to Underwood Hospital, Woodbury, suffering third degree burns of the hands, a concussion and in
shock. The O’Brien family is staying with friends and has appealed for clothing.
6/05/1970
NEW MACK FIR TRUCK FOR BOROUGH. The Billingsport Fire Company received a new
Mack Fire truck. It pumps a 1000 gallons per minute and has a 500 gallon water tank.
6/12/1970
FIRE PARTIALLY GUTS PAULSBORO CLUB DURING STORM. A fire at the Paulsboro
Sportsman’s Association, on 32 Riverview Avenue, partially damaged the club’s single story
structure Friday and left extensive smoke and water damage. In a driving rain and gusting winds,
about 75 men and 10 pieces of equipment fought the flames. The alarm was sounded around 6
p.m. The fire was officially declared under control about a half-hour later. A member of the club,
Robert Reistle, turned in the alarm. He said that he stopped at the club to make a routine check.
“As soon as I opened the door, the smoke poured out of it. I called the firemen right away”, he
explained. Borough Fire Chief Raymond Niessner said lightning probably started the fire. He said
he was unable to obtain a damage estimate until he consulted with club officials. First to arrive on
the scene were the Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies. They were followed by Gibbstown,
Mt. Royal and East Greenwich fire departments. A quick response by the local firemen was
responsible for saving the building from total destruction.
7/17/1970
CAR FIRE. A car that was ablaze was quenched in quick order by the Paulsboro firemen Friday
morning, but not before it seriously damaged the vehicle. Joseph Ferrell of 439 ½ Thomson
Avenue, Paulsboro, owns the Cadillac.
8/07/1970
STOVE FIRE CAUSES SEVERE DAMAGE TO HOUSE. Smoke billowed from the home of
the Gray family, at 107 W. Adams Street, after the kitchen stove caught fire Friday afternoon
about five o’clock. Firemen from Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were called out to
extinguish the blaze, which severely damaged the interior of the home and destroyed most of the
family’s possessions.
8/15/1970
AMBULANCE CREW REVIVES MAN. A Paulsboro man was revived by persistent efforts of
the Paulsboro Ambulance crew and his brother Saturday after he appeared dead for more than 10
minutes after he struck his head in a backyard swimming pool. The man, James Gordon, 36, of
219 Lincoln Avenue, was admitted to the Underwood Memorial Hospital, Woodbury, and was
listed in fair condition yesterday. According to police, Gordon’s family called for an ambulance
after he struck his head in their pool. He was pulled from the pool by his brother who began mouth
to mouth resuscitation. When the ambulance arrived, attendants William Cowgill and Bill Hulmes
took over the resuscitation efforts. They were assisted by other crewmembers Elmer Mattson and
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John Carrow. Ambulance crewmembers said Gordon appeared dead and they were unable to use
the resuscitator. They rushed him to the hospital and applied pressure on his chest during the trip
and pushed water from his lungs restoring signs of life just before reaching the hospital.
9/21/1970
FIRE DAMAGES TOWERS AT REFINERY. An early morning fire Monday at the Mobil Oil
Corp. refinery damaged several cooling towers. According to a company spokesman, who said
there were no injuries, the fire started about 4 a.m. in a propane de-asphalting unit. Gibbstown and
Paulsboro fire companies were called in to assist the company’s fire department. The blaze was
extinguished within a half-hour.
10/08/1970
PUPPET SHOW FOR FIRE PREVENTION WEEK. Fire Prevention Week in Paulsboro
meant a trip to the Paulsboro Fire House for children of the local grade schools. Paulsboro firemen
Allen McBride and Jack Suiter staged a puppet show for the children. The firemen also lectured
the children on how they can help with fire prevention. McBride and Suiter had the children on the
edge of their seats with their puppet family, “The Careful’s”, and passed out badges and Tootsie
Pops to make the trip complete.
11/01/1970
ARSON SUSPECTED IN FIRE. Arson is the suspected cause of a fire that gutted an abandoned
summer cottage at 33 Riverview Avenue on Sunday night shortly after 11 o’clock. Firemen from
the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies responded to the alarm that was turned in by Helen
Hieber who operates the Riverside Inn next door. Borough Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann said that
the fire was a clear case of arson and he is conducting an investigation. Hofmann said the house
had been abandoned for some time, and he has been pushing for its demolition.
12/09/1970
GARAGE FIRE BEHIND FURNITURE STORE. A garage fire behind the Furniture Mart on
Wednesday was believed to have been deliberately set. Debris piled in front of the door of the
garage was set afire. The firemen quickly doused the flames.
12/26/1970
STOLEN CAR FOUND IN MANTUA CREEK. A car, stolen in Camden on December 5th and
stripped of its motor and transmission, was found submerged in the Mantua Creek on Christmas
Day. According to Det. Sgt. Anthony Giordano of the Paulsboro Police Department, a man
running his dogs that afternoon discovered the car when he saw a tail light just below the surface
of the water, off the end of a wharf at the end of Graselli’s Lane. Rescue teams from the Paulsboro
and Billingsport fire companies and divers from Gibbstown’s underwater rescue teams were called
out Christmas night, but were unable to recover the car because of a swift running tide. Recovery
operations were called off until 5 o’clock Saturday morning when the tide ebbed. The rescue
worker’s fears that someone might have driven off the wharf, which is right at the end of the lane
leading down to the creek, were relieved when it was discovered that the motor and transmission
were missing from the car. The thieves had evidently stripped the car and disposed of it by
pushing it into the creek.
1971
1/05/1971
GARAGE FIRE ON PINE STREET. A garage fire of suspicious origin was quickly doused by
firemen Tuesday night. When firemen arrived, flames were shooting from the roof of the structure
located on Pine Street, and owned by Wilmer Duncan, 200 W. Broad Street. The cause of the fire
is under investigation according to Borough Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann.
1/08/1971
QUICK RESPONSE BY FIREMEN SAVE BUILDING. Quick response by Paulsboro and
Billingsport firemen Friday morning prevented what could have been a serious fire at an auto
repair shop in the old DeMedio building on N. Commerce Street. Firemen were summoned at 5
a.m. when a neighbor awoke and noticed a small fire in the roof around a metal smokestack. Fire
Marshal Alex Hofmann issued orders that the heater in the building is not to be used until a proper
chimney is provided.
1/14/1971
LETTER OF THANKS TO NEWSPAPER. “We wish to convey our thanks to the Paulsboro
and Billingsport firemen and the Paulsboro Police who assisted at the time of the fire in our home.
It seemed but seconds that help arrived and we know that activities were cast aside immediately
when the siren blew. We appreciate not only the physical assistance, but also the genuine concern
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shown by all the men for those affected. We highly recommend the exhaust fans used to clear our
home of smoke. The fact that the fire was stopped allowed us to celebrate Christmas in our home.
Sincerely, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Schwan.”
1/20/1971
OFFICIALS PROBING CHEMICAL FIRE. Police and fire officials are investigating a
chemical plant fire, which gave firemen some uneasy moments. A sprinkler system showered
barrels and packaged containers of highly volatile chemicals when a fire broke out in the
warehouse at Seaboard Manufacturing Inc. on Mantua Avenue. Officials, who called the fire
suspicious, declined to discuss unconfirmed reports that the plant had been the target of three
bomb threats recently. But just a few minutes after firemen approached the smoke filled
warehouse; they called for everyone to clear the area. Firemen rushed from the warehouse area
and moved spectators, employees and equipment outside the plant area. Firemen and police
returned 30 minutes later. The 15 night employees apparently were returning from lunch when one
of them spotted smoke in the loading area. One employee said attempts were made to use fire
extinguishers while others phoned for the fire department. They said among the items packaged at
the plant are automobile products and lighter fluid. Paulsboro Police Chief Daniel Angelucci said
no comment could be made on the fire until the investigation has been completed. The
identification truck of the Gloucester County Sheriff’s office was called to the scene. The damage
from the fire was slight. Paulsboro Fire Chief Edward McMahon Jr. said firemen would not stay
on the scene during the night. Monroe Brown, president of the firm, said the plant employs 95
persons and manufactures chemicals for national companies. He assured the employees that the
Paulsboro plant “is one of the safest plants in the nation”.
1/21/1971
TWELVE-YEAR-OLD BOY DIES IN FIRE. (See Large Article Section)
2/02/1971
FIRE BLAMED ON FAULTY WIRING. Faulty wiring is suspected as the cause of a fire that
caused considerable smoke damage to a home at 1622 Swedesboro Avenue on Tuesday night.
Firemen from Paulsboro and Billingsport were called out at 10:45 p.m. and succeeded in confining
the fire to a wall. Most of the damage to the house, owned by John Holman, was from heavy
smoke according to Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann, who conducted the investigation. Hofmann said
it appeared the fire started in faulty wiring near an electrical box in the basement and traveled
upwards on the inside of the wall. Hofmann said the damage was to such an extent that the family
was unable to occupy the house.
2/09/1971
CAR ON FIRE, MAN ARRESTED. Police are still shaking their heads in amazement after
arresting a Paulsboro man Tuesday night. According to Paulsboro Police Chief Daniel Angelucci,
James Scott, Jr., 33, was arrested by Ptl. Anthony Zumbo about 7:30 p.m. and charged with
driving while intoxicated. Angelucci said the car Scott was driving was missing a front wheel and
riding on the brake drum; the motor was on fire; the hood was hanging on the side of the car and
the front end was smashed. Police believe Scott damaged his car by hitting a utility pole in
Woolwich Township. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called out to extinguish the fire.
2/28/1971
TWO PEOPLE INJURED IN CRASH-FIRE. Two people from Gibbstown were injured when
their car skidded out of control for several hundred feet and overturned in a field behind the
shopping center on Billingsport Road, around 1 a.m. on Sunday morning. Joe Bucco and Bonnie
Gentile, who were thrown clear of the wreckage, were taken to the Underwood Memorial
Hospital, Woodbury, by the Paulsboro ambulance. The car caught fire and the fire companies
responded and extinguish the blaze.
3/04/1971
CUB SCOUTS THANK FIRE COMPANY. “On February 22nd our Pack had our annual Blue &
Gold Dinner at the Paulsboro Firehouse. Our dinner could not have turned out so well without the
cooperation of so many people. We would like to thank Allen McBride and Jack Suiter for their
spellbinding puppet show, which young and old enjoyed. Also a very special thanks to the men
and women of the Paulsboro Fire Association. It is very gratifying to see people be so generous
and willing of their time for our young people of our town. Thank You, Angelo Sepielli –
Cubmaster of Paulsboro Pack 226.”
3/20/1971
FIRE DAMAGES APARTMENT. Police and fire officials are investigating a blaze that
damaged an apartment at the Paulsboro Gardens apartment complex Sunday morning. Members of
the Paulsboro Fire Department, alerted by a 9:25 a.m. alarm, contained the fire to a bedroom of the
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second floor apartment. A tenant identified as James Fletcher, who leased the 18-B apartment, was
not at home when the fire started. Ptl. Daniel Abate, investigating officer, said tenants in two
adjoining units were evacuated during the blaze. An apartment below the damaged unit was vacant
and received some water damage. Howard Haddock, Borough Fire Marshal, said the cause of the
fire is being investigated.
5/06/1971
FIRE AT CHEMICAL COMPANY. The fire companies were called out for a storage building
that was on fire at the Paulsboro Chemical Company on Thursday night. The building was
engulfed in flames when firemen arrived, but they quickly doused the blaze, which prevented any
serious damage. A nearby storage shed held some potentially dangerous oxygen and acetylene
tanks that were moved to a safe distance by the firemen.
6/05/1971
GARAGE RAZED BY FIRE. A pile of charred wood is all that is left of a garage belonging to
Sofia Haluszka, of 504 Billings Avenue, after a fire early Saturday morning. The cause of the
blaze is still under investigation according to Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann. Two Billingsport
firemen were injured when a falling fire hose hit them. Anthony Zeno and his son Anthony Jr.,
were treated for cuts to the head at the Underwood Hospital in Woodbury.
7/15/1971
THANKS TO FIRE DEPARTMENT. “I wish the thank the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire
companies for their quick response to the fire we had at our store on Friday evening. Their fast
action averted what could have been a disaster. I wish to let the firemen know that their neatness
in extinguishing the fire was really appreciated. Sincerely, Tom Elliot.”
8/18/1971
FIRE IN LAUNDRY ROOM CAUSES DAMAGE. Severe damage was caused to the home of
Charles McIlvane, of 329 Mantua Avenue, on Wednesday when an electrical fire started in the
laundry room. Firemen from the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies responded to the alarm
around 9:30 am.
10/11/1971
MATTRESS FIRE. Firemen from both fire companies were called out Monday afternoon about
1:15 p.m. to extinguish a mattress on fire in a house at 1015 Hoffman Avenue. There were no
injuries reported and the damage was slight.
10/18/1971
LOCAL MAN DROWNS AT BP DOCK. A Paulsboro man drowned early Monday morning
when a rowboat, containing him and three fellow workers at the BP Terminal, capsized in the
Delaware River at the foot of Mantua Avenue. The man, John Johnson, 48, of W. Buck Street, was
pronounced dead on arrival at Underwood Hospital, Woodbury, where the Paulsboro Ambulance
took him. Paulsboro Police said the men were apparently helping with the mooring lines of a
tanker docked at the terminal when the boat capsized. The three other men were treated for
exposure and released from the hospital.
12/21/1971
CAR ACCIDENT CAUSES FIRE IN HOME. Two cars crashed into the home of Elizabeth
McGuire, at the corner of W. Washington and Spruce streets, Tuesday night about 10:15 p.m.,
after colliding at the intersection. Both cars were badly damaged and the fire companies had to be
called out when an electrical fire caused by the crash started in the basement of the house. Neither
driver was seriously injured.
1972
1/03/1972
FIREHOUSE ON FIRE. When the fire siren sounded Monday morning about 10 a.m., the local
firemen could hardly believe it when they heard, ”the Paulsboro Firehouse is on fire,” over their
fire alert radios. It does sound hard to believe, especially if you are a Paulsboro fireman and can
remember the same call going out almost 10 years ago when the old firehouse burned to the
ground. But that’s where the fire was. It seems a painting contractor was repairing the firehouse
and had applied paint remover to a large section of the floor in the bays that housed the fire trucks.
The area was ignited when a blowtorch was lit. The fire was quickly extinguished with no damage
to the building. All the fire equipment had been removed from the building before the job was
started and was not endangered.
2/29/1972
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FIRE AT SANDWASH. A huge pillar of black smoke that was rising from a brush fire at the old
sandwash, on S. Delaware Street, aroused the curiosity of the people of Paulsboro on Tuesday
afternoon. Firemen from Paulsboro and Billingsport stood by to protect the Sunoco service station,
but let the fire burn itself out.
3/10/1972
HOME DAMAGED BY KITCHEN FIRE. A kitchen fire in the home of Ed Roane Sr., 1
Overbrook Avenue, on Friday afternoon, resulted in heavy smoke damage to the house and its
furnishings. Billingsport and Paulsboro firemen quickly extinguished the blaze and saved the
house from total destruction.
3/16/1972
FIREMEN PROTEST ADOPTED BUDGET. Paulsboro’s 1972 Municipal Budget was adopted
Thursday by Mayor and Council but not before local fire company officials lodged a formal
protest over the amount budgeted for the town’s two fire companies. Fire Chief Ed McMahon,
who appeared before the borough council the previous week to voice the foremen’s displeasure
with the proposed budget, again told the governing body how he felt. McMahon, reading from a
prepared statement, said a $10 clothing allowance raise for each firemen was flatly rejected by the
Public Safety Director and that an increase of $2,000 more than 1971’s budget of $12,000 was
also requested. Instead he said the fire company’s budget was cut by $2,000 to $10,000 for 1972.
Mayor Neil Dempsey pointed out that any important items needed over and above $10,000
budgeted could be paid for with bond anticipation notes. He also reminded McMahon that council
plans to purchase a new ambulance this year at a cost of $6,500. The discussion ended abruptly
when the fire siren sounded and Chief McMahon, along with several other firemen, responded to
the alarm. Mayor and Council seriously considered adding another $2,000 to the fire department
budget, but were advised by their auditor that to do so would be a very involved process.
5/10/1972
FIRE ON MADISON STREET. Firemen from Paulsboro and Billingsport extinguished a
stubborn fire in the rear of a house at 26 E. Madison Street, on Wednesday afternoon.
5/18/1972
FIRE AT PAULSBORO GARDENS. The Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies were
called out to extinguish a fire in an apartment at the Paulsboro Gardens Apartment complex. The
firemen struggled with thick smoke before extinguishing the fire. The occupants were not at home
at the time of the fire. The fire damaged a chair and there was heavy smoke damage.
5/23/1972
MOBIL FIRE FATAL TO MAN. A Mickleton man was killed early Tuesday morning at the
Mobil Oil Corp. when a flash fire erupted in the distillation area of the plant. According to plant
officials Alfred Kugler, 58, died when a flash fire erupted in an area where he was working. The
cause of the fire has not been determined and it was brought under control in approximately half
an hour by refinery personnel and firemen from Paulsboro and Gibbstown fire companies.
6/04/1972
FIRE DESTROYS TWO MT. ROYAL BUILDINGS. Two separate fires gutted the former C.
W. Brown & Co. sausage packing building and a vacant house on Kings Highway in Mt. Royal on
Sunday. More than 60 firemen from Mt. Royal and surrounding communities, including
Paulsboro, fought the fires for two hours in brisk winds and sweltering heat. Three firemen were
injured and others were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and exhaustion. Gloucester
County Fire Marshal Al Lutz said both fires are under investigation and appear suspicious. While
firemen were battling the fire at the former meat packing plant, they noticed smoke coming from
the basement of the vacant house which is two doors down.
8/23/1972
FIRE GUTS SMALL HOUSE. Paulsboro firemen extinguished an early morning fire in a small
house at the rear of 1253 Berkley Road, Wednesday, but not before it completely gutted the
building. There were no injuries reported, and the cause of the blaze is under investigation by
Borough Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann.
8/31/1972
HOUSE FIRE IS CALLED SUSPICIOUS. A blaze in a vacant house that took firemen several
hours to extinguish early Sunday morning is being called “suspicious”, according to a fire official.
Firemen were called to the house at 505 N. Delaware St. about 12:30 a.m. Sunday and remained at
the scene until about 5 a.m., said Chief Jack Suiter. The fire apparently destroyed the house, Suiter
said. “It took awhile to put out the fire. It was a very smoky fire. It was in the walls and it spread
up to a false ceiling in the attic. It was very hard to get to”, said Suiter. County arson investigators
were probing the scene Sunday afternoon.
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9/10/1972
ADAMS STREET HOME DAMAGED BY FIRE. A home at 11 W. Adams Street was badly
damaged by fire early Monday morning but the occupants escaped without injury. The fire started
about 3 a.m. in the attic of a dwelling occupied by Gordon Redman and Warren Lopez. Borough
Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann said the fire, which gutted the attic and burned through the roof, was
caused by faulty wiring. Firemen from Paulsboro and Billingsport extinguished the blaze and were
at the scene for about three hours. The house was rendered unlivable for the occupants and water
and smoke damaged most of their belongings.
10/09/1972
HOME SEVERELY DAMAGED BY BLAZE. A Paulsboro mother and her six children
escaped unhurt when a fire broke out about 5 a.m. Monday morning in the kitchen of their home at
232 W. Adams Street and quickly engulfed the whole house in flames. Doris Merchant said she
and some guests were awake at the time and smelled smoke and she went upstairs to awaken her
children, who are from 2 to 13 years of age. She said they were all just leaving the house when she
heard an explosion. Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann, who investigated the fire, said it appears the fire
started near a gas range in the kitchen. He said the house is a total loss. By the time firemen
arrived, the inside of the house was a mass of flames and fire was billowing halfway across
Adams Street. Neighboring houses on both sides were slightly damaged by the heat, which also
damaged a car parked in a driveway next door. The house is a short distance away from the spot
where another house fire several years ago claimed the life of an 8 year old boy. The entire
contents of the house were completely destroyed and were not insured according to a fire official.
Firemen were called back 2 times on Monday to douse the smoldering embers.
10/10/1972
TANK TRUCK FIRE IN EAST GREENWICH. The Paulsboro Fire Company was called into
to assist the Clarksboro and Mt. Royal fire companies in extinguishing a tank truck fire at the
Agway Petroleum terminal on Cedar Road.
10/15/1972
VANDALS SET GARAGE ON FIRE. Firemen were called out at 6:30 Sunday evening to
extinguish a fire set by vandals in the old Battaglia Fuel Co. garage on Penn Line Street. Fire
Marshal Alex Hofmann said this is the third time vandals have broken into the garage and set it on
fire. He said the building is boarded up but someone kicked in a panel of a door to gain entrance.
He said the offices in the building have also been ransacked.
10/28/1972
SPECTACULAR FIRE DESTROYS TAVERN & FOUR APTS. (See Large Article Section)
11/03/1972
HOUSE WRECKED BY FIRE. Another serious fire occurred here when a spilled can of
gasoline was ignited in the cellar of a residence at 1430 Swedesboro Avenue on Friday afternoon.
The owner of the house, Vince Martin, wife and 3 children were at home at the time and escaped
uninjured. The fire reportedly erupted when one of the children accidentally knocked over the can
of gas and it was ignited by the heater. The house, which is right across the street from the
Paulsboro Firehouse, was extensively damaged by the flames, which traveled up through the walls
to the roof.
11/13/1972
MATTRESS FIRE ON BILLINGS AVENUE. A mattress fire in a home at 242 Billings Avenue
was extinguished by firemen from Billingsport and Paulsboro late Monday night. The fire started
in a third floor bedroom about 11:30 p.m. in an apartment occupied by Virginia Givin and her
eight children, ages 8 to 18 There were no reports of injuries and a quick response by firemen
averted a more serious situation.
11/26/1972
BEACON AVENUE HOME SUFFERS FIRE DAMAGE. The fire department was called out
to a house fire at 528 Beacon Avenue on Sunday morning. Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann said the
fire started in the kitchen closet and burned upwards to the second floor of the home owned by
Pierson Sockwell. Hofmann said the home suffered quite a bit of smoke damage.
12/03/1972
ELIZABETH AVENUE HOME GUTTED BY FIRE. An intense fire of undetermined origin
gutted a home at 247 Elizabeth Avenue Sunday while the owners were away. The owner Francis
Ubelackie, who purchased the house only 5 months ago, and were not at home when the fire
started, lost all their belongings in the blaze and are now staying with relatives. The fire had
apparently been burning for some time before the alarm was turned in shortly after 4 p.m. by a
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neighbor, according to the Paulsboro police who were the first on the scene. Smoke was coming
from the roof and fire lit up the windows when they arrived. Paulsboro Fire Company chief Al
Feldman said firemen took precautions to protect a nearby house from damage. Borough Fire
Chief Ed McMahon Jr. said about 40 firemen from the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies
fought the blaze for over an hour. The owners apparently just purchased the home only a month
ago. Borough Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann said today that the cause is still under investigation.
1973
3/26/1973
BROAD ST. APARTMENT GUTTED BY FIRE. Fire of undetermined origin gutted the 2nd
floor apartment house at 435 W. Broad Street shortly after 9 am Monday leaving the occupants of
3 apartments homeless. No one was injured in the blaze, which was brought under control in less
than an hour by firemen from Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown. The entire 2nd floor of the
building, owned by Mrs. Al Pallidino, was a mass of flames when firemen arrived at the scene.
Claude Graham occupied the 2nd floor apartment where the fire broke out and the contents of his
apartment were a total loss. Patrolman Andy Byrd of the Paulsboro Police Department occupied
another apartment on the first floor in the rear of the building. He was at home when the fire broke
out and said he smelled something burning shortly after the fire was discovered. He said he
checked the cellar of the building and found nothing. 3 other Paulsboro Police officers who were
investigating a complaint across the street at the Huber Pontiac Agency discovered the fire. The
officers saw smoke pouring from the second floor of the building and while one called in an alarm
over the police radio the other 2 raced across the street to warn the residents of the building. The
officers, with the help of neighbors, removed all the furniture from both downstairs apartments
while firemen fought the fire. Borough Fire Marshal, Alex Hofmann, said that the cause of the fire
is under investigation by the county fire marshal.
4/21/1973
FIREMEN FIGHT LARGE BRUSH FIRE. The Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire
companies were called out to extinguish a large brush fire behind Consumers Oil Company off
Mantua Avenue. The firemen were on the scene from 2:40 p.m. till 5:30 p.m. The cause of the
blaze is under investigation.
7/01/1973
FIRES KEEP FIREMEN BUSY. A series of unrelated fires over the weekend kept firemen busy
and left a family of 9 homeless. Sunday night about 7 p.m., fire completely gutted the interior of a
two story brick house owned by Mrs. Russell James at 1608 S. Delaware Street. Mrs. James and
her eight children were not at home when the fire was discovered. The cause of the fire has not
been determined according to Fire Chief Edward McMahon, Jr. While firemen were battling the
Delaware Street fire, another fire completely leveled an unoccupied house on Lena Avenue, near
the riverfront. Borough Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann said that the fire was of suspicious origin and
was being investigated. The Gibbstown Fire Company stood by at the Paulsboro Firehouse during
the fires. Hofmann said that late last week another fire was discovered in the old lighthouse
property also on the riverfront, but was extinguished before much damage was done. On Friday
afternoon about 4:30 p.m., during a torrential downpour, firemen just barely saved the building
housing the Mary Lou This and That Shop at 818 N. Delaware Street. The fire marshal said the
fire was apparently started by a candle burning in the living quarters at the rear of the store. The
fire was contained to the rear of the old wooden structure that also contains several apartments on
the second floor. Police cars responding to the alarm stalled out in nearly 2 feet of water in the
block between Adams and Jefferson Streets and blocked Delaware Street. Fire trucks responding
to the alarm had to use alternate routes of Chestnut and Spruce Streets to reach the fire. There
were no injuries at any of the fires.
7/23/1973
CIGARETTE CAUSES FIRE DAMAGE TO HOUSE. Firemen were called out at 2:30
Tuesday morning when a sofa in the home of Dan Colanero, of 61 Capitol Street, caught fire.
Colanero, who had fallen asleep with a lit cigarette, was not injured but his house was badly
damaged by the flames, smoke and water. Sgt. Nick Miskofsky and Ptl. Harry Oswald were first
on the scene and used a garden hose to fight the fire until firemen from Paulsboro and Billingsport
fire companies arrived.
7/31/1973
85
RESCUE SQUADS RECOVER DROWNING VICTIM. The body of a 32-year-old Camden
man, missing since Sunday, was found Tuesday morning at Willow-Dell Lake on Friendship
Road. According to the East Greenwich Police spokesman, the body of Jose Apotes floated to the
surface of the lake at 10:30am while rescue workers and police were searching the lake for him.
Rescue squads from E. Greenwich, Mt. Royal, Swedesboro, Paulsboro and Gibbstown started
grappling operations at the lake about midnight Sunday after his belongings and car were found
near the lake. Rescue operations were called off about 3 a.m. and resumed again at daylight
continuing on into Monday night.
8/07/1973
NEW BIDS FOR FIRE VANS. Mayor and Council have rejected the only bid for 2 van type
trucks for the boroughs fire companies and ordered new bids to be received at their August 21 st
meeting. Councilman John Hunkler, who is public safety director, asked that the lone bid for the
fire vans, from Veit Chevrolet of Paulsboro, be rejected since the figures quoted were more than
the amount the borough budgeted. Veit’s bids for the 1974 vans were $4, 754 for one and $5,046
for the other. The fire companies had requested Ford vans and the borough had budgeted $8,000
for the both of them. Fire Chief Edward McMahon, Jr. asked the borough to re-advertise the bids
as per specifications.
9/14/1973
ICE CREAM TRUCKS DESTROYED BY FIRE. A Thorofare man was injured and 3 Mister
Softee ice cream trucks were completely destroyed Saturday afternoon when a fire erupted in a
garage at 25 Roosevelt Street. The garage, owned by Frank Gezzi, was also badly damaged by the
flames, which were so intense that heavy steel beams supporting the roof were buckled by the
heat. Maurice Michaels, of Thorofare, who owns the trucks, received serious burns of both arms
and was taken to the Underwood Memorial Hospital in Woodbury. According to Paulsboro Fire
Marshal Alex Hofmann, the fire ignited while Michael’s was fixing a fuel line under one of the
trucks that was parked inside the garage. Michael’s told Fire Chief Ed McMahon that the fire
started with a flash but he did not know what set it off. Firemen from the Paulsboro and
Billingsport fire companies fought the blaze in the cinder block building from about 5:15 p.m.
until 7:15 p.m., when it was declared under control. The fire marshal commended the firemen
saying they did a wonderful job of containing the fire, which was in close proximity to dwellings
in the neighborhood. A gasoline pump just outside the garage door was blackened by the fire and
could have exploded had it caught fire according to Hofmann. No official estimates of the value of
the trucks or the building were available at press time. An adjoining addition on the garage and
another ice cream truck, owned by Gezzi, were not damaged by the fire.
9/22/1973
ACCIDENT AT CREEK BRIDGE. The front wheel of a Camaro was driven back to the
firewall of the car when it struck a parked vehicle at 4 a.m. on Sunday at the Mantua Creek
Bridge. The driver was treated for severe cuts to the head and a possible broken ankle. The owner
of the parked car was not injured. Firemen from Paulsboro were called out to wash down the road.
9/26/1973
NEW AMBULANCE RECEIVED. Mayor Neil Dempsey turned over a new Cadillac ambulance
for the Borough of Paulsboro to Fire Chief Edward McMahon, Jr. Public Safety Director, John
Hunckler and Ronald Sklare of the Wolfington Body Company were also on hand.
11/11/1973
TWO FAMILIES LEFT HOMELESS AFTER FIRE. Two families were left homeless and one
woman hospitalized with serious burns when fire destroyed a double house at 48-50 Roosevelt
Street early Sunday morning. The fire started about 3 a.m. in the side of the house occupied by
Floyd Helms, wife and three children. All received burns while escaping the blaze which
completely gutted their dwelling. Mrs. Helms was admitted to the Underwood Memorial Hospital,
Woodbury, with cuts and burns of the arms and back. Her sons received burns of the arms and
hands and were treated at the hospital and released. The Helms family lost all their possessions in
the fire. Their pet dog and cat also perished in the fire. The blaze roared through the roof from the
basement and into the adjoining half of the house occupied by Fredrick Ryder, his wife and five
children. The Ryder family escaped without injury and managed to salvage some of their
possessions. The second and third floors of their home were destroyed. The cause of the fire is
under investigation. Borough Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann said Monday that just a week earlier the
heater in the Helms house had caught fire and firemen were called to the scene. Firemen were on
the scene until 9 a.m. The Paulsboro and Billingsport firemen battled the blaze for about three
hours in icy conditions on Sunday and were called back Monday morning to extinguish a
smoldering mattress. The fire was called into police headquarters by a neighbor across the street.
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Other neighbors said they awoke to see the Helms house a mass of flames. People were evacuated
from surrounding homes, as firemen feared a gas explosion, police said. Police and fire officials
are investigating the cause of the blaze.
11/21/1973
NEWSPAPERS SET AFIRE. The Sunday newspapers were destroyed by fire late on Saturday
night when they were deliberately set afire inside a garage on Quincy Street, fire officials said.
Both fire companies responded and soaked down the burning papers.
12/08/1973
HOUSE NEAR DELAWARE ST. BAR BURNS. Firemen had to fight through heavy smoke to
fight a fire that erupted in a vacant building Sunday around 9:30 in the morning at the Frosted
Mug Bar on N. Delaware Street. Most of the damage was contained to an old house in the rear of
the bar. Workmen had been in the building all week getting it ready for a reopening.
1974
1/30/1974
FIREMEN RECOVER BODY FROM CREEK. A battered automobile that plunged off Rt. 295
into the Mantua Creek over a week ago was recovered from 20 feet of water Saturday, with the
body of its 18-year-old driver still behind the wheel. State Police identified the youth as Samuel
Coy, a sailor, of Indiana. It is believed the car had been submerged in the creek for more than a
week before it was discovered. Authorities started search operations in the creek Thursday after a
state highway crew, repairing a bent guardrail, noticed a path torn through shrubbery on the bank
overlooking the creek between the twin bridges that span the creek. The car evidently jumped the
guardrail at high speed and became airborne before ripping the top out of a tree and plunged into
the creek some 100 feet from where it left the road. The creek at that point is about 20 feet deep
and about 40 feet below the roadway. One of the pilings broken off by the impact went right
through the roof of the vehicle and out through the floorboards on the passenger side. On
Thursday, the Paulsboro Fire Company’s rescue squad was called out to search the creek but was
unsuccessful in locating anything. They returned Friday along with divers from the State Police
underwater recovery unit, and located the car in 20 feet of water late in the day. Recovery
operations were started but were called off when strong tidal currents and the precarious position
of the car hampered the diver’s efforts to attach cables to the vehicle. About 11 a.m. Saturday
rescue workers succeeded in hooking a cable to the car and a huge wrecker on top of the bridge
raised the car to the surface. The vehicle was so badly battered that the Paulsboro firemen had to
use electric saws to remove the top before Coy’s body could be removed. Following an autopsy,
Dr. William Harris, Assistant County Medical Examiner said Coy had died of a broken neck. It
could not be determined how long he had been dead because of the cold water temperature.
4/08/1974
TANKER EXPLODES ACROSS THE RIVER. Hundreds of curious spectators flocked to the
riverfront Tuesday night after an ARCO oil tanker exploded on the Delaware River about 10 PM,
while docked at the Fort Mifflin Marine Terminal in Philadelphia, just across the river from
Paulsboro. Two muffled explosions rocked homes in Paulsboro and nearby communities. Flames
fed by oil from the ship spread almost halfway across the river towards West Deptford at one time
and sent a huge cloud of black smoke into the lit up sky. Workers at the BP docks in Paulsboro,
who were unloading another oil tanker, witnessed the explosion. A short time later they shut down
pumping operations there as a precautionary measure when flames began to spread into the river
upstream from them. All firemen in Paulsboro were put on alert to stand by at their respective fire
stations.
4/13/1974
3 CHILDREN DIE IN GIBBSTOWN FIRE. Three young children perished when fire destroyed
their home at 39 W. Broad Street, as they slept early on Easter Sunday. The first floor of the twostory house was a mass of flames when next door neighbors discovered the fire. Gibbstown Fire
Chief, Ray Williams, said that when firemen arrived at the scene the house was completely
engulfed in flames. Firemen from Paulsboro and Bridgeport assisted Gibbstown in fighting the
fire.
5/30/1974
FIRE CHIEF WARNS HOMEOWNERS. “Home pollution” can be as bad, and as dangerous to
health and life, as air pollution or water pollution. So says Borough Fire Chief Ed McMahon, Jr.,
describing as “home pollution” the accumulated household clutter which provides a starting place
and fuel for fire. Spring-Clean Up is an ideal time to fight home pollution, points out Chief
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McMahon. This means reducing the amount of material to burn. The less there is to burn, the less
fuel for fire, the less intense and disastrous fire is likely to be in case it starts. Begin right away the
fire chief urges.
7/07/1974
MATTRESS FIRE IN HOME. The fire companies were called out to a house at 257 W.
Washington Street, where a mattress was on fire. The firemen quickly extinguished the blaze.
Little damage was done to the house. One fireman was given oxygen on the scene.
7/31/1974
EIGHT ARE HOMELESS AFTER PAULSBORO FIRE. Eight persons were left homeless by
a fire, which severely damaged two houses on West Monroe St. The fire erupted at 10 a.m. in a
home owned by David Gerstenlauer, 21, of 202 W. Monroe Street. He and three other members of
his family were away from home at the time. The fire spread quickly and ignited a neighboring
duplex at 200 W. Monroe St., forcing the evacuation of Rosa DeSimone and her two children.
John Paul, who also lives at the same residence, was reportedly at work. Ray Williams Sr., deputy
county fire marshal, said the blaze apparently started in the kitchen of the Gerstenlauer home.
More than 40 firemen fought the blaze for 90 minutes. “At this point, the place was so badly
charred that it is difficult to pinpoint the cause. The gas company checked the house with us. I
wouldn’t call it suspicious, but it is under investigation,” Williams said. Mrs. DiSimone, who has
rented the apartment since February, said her daughter, Theresa, 7,was leaving to go swimming
and saw the smoke billowing from the first floor of the Gerstenlauer house. “She ran back in and
said, Pam’s house is on fire. I looked out and saw the smoke so I grabbed her and my son William,
he’s deaf, and we ran outside,” explained Mrs. DiSimone, 31. Izzie Esposito of Woodbury Heights
owns the two units, which she and Paul occupied. He just had the whole place remodeled. One
half of the two story shingled building was badly charred. A narrow alley, about 15 feet wide,
separates it from the Gerstenlauer home, which was completely gutted by the fire. Mrs.
Gerstenlauer, 21, was at work when the fire broke out. She is employed as a waitress at a local
luncheonette. She said she left her children, Dawn, 2, and Christine, 1, at her sister in laws house
on Spruce Street. As firemen snuffed out the last flames, neighbors tried to console the woman
and her husband who arrived about one hour after the blaze started. Firemen from Paulsboro,
Gibbstown, East Greenwich and Billingsport battled the flames and the dense smoke, which was
visible for several blocks. Councilman Joe Long, who heads the borough’s utility committee,
commented that it was lucky the fire had not happened two weeks earlier when there was a severe
water shortage in town. At first firefighters had very little water pressure to fight the flames but
that was because they were hooked into a fireplug on the back streets. The water flow improved
when the pumpers were connected to a fire hydrant on Delaware Street where there is a large
water main. Both structures were demolished, said a fire official.
10/10/1974
DAD, SON ROUTED IN FIRE. A father and son fled their home at 206 West Adams Street here
this morning when fire of an undetermined origin broke out in a second floor bedroom. Jay Lee,
35, and his father Marvin Henry, 81, told officials they were awake when the fire started at about
5:45 in the morning. The blaze destroyed the rear bedroom, said a fire official. The first floor of
the home suffered smoke and water damage. Members of the local fire companies brought the fire
under control in about 15 minutes.
11/07/1974
FAMILY OF 9 LEFT HOMELESS BY FIRE. A family of nine was left homeless and lost all
their possessions when fire ravaged their home at 312 Morton Avenue. Mr. and Mrs. Angus
Funches were sleeping when the fire broke out about 9:30 a.m., but escaped the flames uninjured.
Their seven children, ranging in age from 8 to 15, were all in school at the time of the fire. A next
door neighbor discovered the fire and awoke the Funches before calling in the alarm. Firemen
arrived on the scene within minutes but the interior of the house was already a mass of flames. It
took firemen from Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Companies about an hour to bring the fire
under control. They stayed on the scene until about noon. They had to return later that afternoon
when smoldering embers erupted into flames. Fire officials said the cause of the fire is still
undetermined. They feel fairly certain that it started in the living room. “The house was gutted,
and they lost everything, except for some papers. When I arrived the fire was really going,” said
Deputy Police Chief Anthony Zumbo. Neighbors said the family had recently renovated the small
bungalow with paneling and new carpeting. Welfare director Margaret Tahamont issued an appeal
for clothing and furniture for the family.
12/22/1974
FIRE DESTROYS ENTIRE BLOCK OF DELAWARE ST. (See Large Article Section)
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1975
2/05/1975
CAR GETS WEDGED UNDERNEATH TRUCK. A car driven by Wilmer Bradshaw, 205 W.
Washington Street, got stuck underneath a tractor-trailer when it ran a red light at Broad and
Delaware last Thursday. Mr. Bradshaw, who was slightly injured, received a traffic summons. The
firemen were called to wash spilled fuel oil from the road.
2/19/1975
OWNER IMPLICATED IN FIRE THAT DESTROYED BLOCK. The owner of a building at
1111 N. Delaware Street that was destroyed by fire, along with others in the block, on December
22nd, has been implicated in causing the fire. Samuel Amendolia, 50, of 122 Watkins Avenue,
Gibbstown, was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with willfully and maliciously consenting
to the setting of a fire according to Police Chief Nick Miskofsky. Amendolia was released under
$25,000 bail pending action by the Gloucester County Grand Jury. Det. Sgt. Raymond Gezzi of
the Paulsboro Police and Det. Jack Byrd, the arson investigator for the Gloucester County
Prosecutor’s Office, started the investigation leading to the arrest after fire officials said they felt
the fire was of a suspicious nature. Police said other arrests in connection with the fire are
pending.
2/20/1975
BOXCAR CATCHES FIRE, ARSON SUSPECTED. Arson is suspected as the cause of a fire
that broke out in a boxcar at the Haskins Plant, off of Mantua Avenue last Friday. The car
contained rifle bolt cleaner, which was to be sold to the government. Firemen from both
companies had the blaze doused in 15 minutes. The car was supposed to be sealed with a metal
clamp, but was open when the firemen arrived, officials said. Workers at the plant have been on
strike since January 1st.
6/01/1975
FIRE CO. ASSISTS GIBBSTOWN IN DROWNING. The Paulsboro Fire Co. #1 assisted
Gibbstown in the recovery of a drowning victim at Green Lake. The man, Jamie Dickinson, of
Mantua, fell into the lake while fishing at the lake with his brother and some friends. The
Paulsboro squad recovered the body.
10/10/1975
CHILDREN VISIT FIREHOUSE. On Friday all the students from Kindergarten through the
Third grade visited the Paulsboro Firehouse to observe Fire Prevention Week. The school staff
thanked Joe Zeno and his crew for their time and effort in showing them the fire equipment, and
talking to them about preventing fires.
10/14/1975
PAULSBORO ASSISTS GIBBSTOWN ON FIRE. The Paulsboro Fire Company assisted the
Gibbstown firemen in fighting a house fire, Tuesday, on Willow Drive in Gibbstown. The small
bungalow was completely destroyed
1976
1/28/1976
FIRE CO. DEDICATES ADDITION IN MEMORY OF WALTER C. THOMSON. A new
building addition at the Paulsboro Fire House was dedicated in honor of deceased firemen Walter
C. Thomson on Saturday evening when the PVFA #1 and Ladies Auxiliary held their annual
installation banquet. Mr. Thomson, who passed away in 1974, was a charter member of the
association. A plaque commemorating the dedication was presented to his daughter Mrs. Elizabeth
Fish by fire company president Carleton Kandle. Mrs. Fish turned the plaque over to the
association to be placed in the new addition. Following a catered dinner, the new officers of the
association and ladies auxiliary were installed for the coming year by fire company chaplain Rev.
Robert Costello. A few minutes of silent prayer were observed for Joseph Hinman who passed
away recently. One of the lighter moments of the evening was the presentation of “doctor kits” to
five members of the ambulance crew who recently completed the EMT course at Underwood
Memorial Hospital. They are Jack Suiter, Dan Berth, Larry Moran, Ron Hill and Anthony Sepielli.
Dancing to the music of Johnny Seassoms filled the remainder of the evening.
4/05/1976
FIRST FEMALE IN FIRE DEPARTMENT. The Billingsport Fire Association accepted Mary
McGiuness into their ranks. She becomes the first female fire fighter in the Borough's history.
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5/11/1976
TWO FIRES IN TWO DAYS. Firemen were called out on Tuesday afternoon to a house at 16 E.
Washington Street for a small blaze in the kitchen. The firemen quickly extinguished the fire with
minor damage to the interior. The firemen were again called out Wednesday morning when smoke
filled the building occupied by M.Y. Cleaners and the Paulsboro Jewelers on E. Broad Street. The
building, which also houses two apartments, received minor smoke damage.
5/13/1976
BOY CHARGED FOR FALSE ALARMS. Police charged a juvenile on Wednesday with
turning in false alarms after New Jersey Bell cooperated by installing an electronic trap on the
police phone. Police said they received fire calls around 3 p.m. for three days in a row. After the
second day, the trap was put on the phone. The electronic trap prints out the number of the
telephone that is making an incoming call within the same exchange. Police said several other
false alarms, all for house fires, in the same area of town, were turned in at other times. The
juvenile, aged 15, was released to the custody of his parents pending a hearing. Det. Sgt. Ray
Gezzi led the investigation assisted by Sgt. Edward Rone.
5/21/1976
CHILD WITH MATCHES CAUSES FIRE DAMAGE. A youth playing with matches was
responsible for a fire that damaged a second floor apartment at 402 Billingsport Road on Friday
afternoon. Heavy smoke was pouring from the upper floor when firemen arrived at the house,
which is only a block away from the Billingsport Firehouse. The Conway family occupied the
apartment. The fire was extinguished in a matter of minutes and there were no injuries.
5/29/1976
GARAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE ON OLIVE ST. Paulsboro firemen were called to put out a
fire Saturday night that destroyed a vacant garage at Olive Street and Penn Line Road. Howard
Haddock, Paulsboro Fire Marshal, said the blaze is under investigation.
6/10/1976
PAULSBORO BUILDING DAMAGED BY BLAZE. Fire caused minor damage to a two-story
structure at 10 W. Broad Street on Thursday afternoon. Howard Haddock, borough fire marshal,
said the blaze started at about 2 p.m. Members of the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies
put out the blaze. said Haddock. The fire marshal was unsure who occupied the building, but no
injuries were reported. The fire apparently started outside the building, in the rear, causing minor
damage to the exterior, and slight smoke and water damage inside he said.
6/16/1976
FIREMAN CHARGED WITH ARSON. A volunteer fireman has been charged with arson in
connection with three recent fires. The fireman, who belonged to the Paulsboro Fire Company and
had been a member for a little less than a year, was arrested Friday following an investigation by
local police. The man was charged with setting a fire on May 29 th which destroyed a garage on
Olive Street in addition to charges of setting two field fires in April and May. The fireman was
released under $7,000 personal recognizance bail and will receive a hearing in Municipal Court.
Conducting the investigation were Ptl. Daniel Abate, Ptl. Rudy Tighe and Det. Ray Gezzi.
6/26/1976
FIRE AT PAULSBORO GARDENS. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called out Friday
afternoon to extinguish a bedroom fire at the Paulsboro Garden Apartments. No one was injured at
the fire, which was in apartment 37A. A faulty electric fan apparently caused the fire.
8/08/1976
FIRE DESTROYS 3 BROAD ST. BUSINESSES. (See Large Article Section)
10/12/1976
PAULSBORO FIRE LEAVES FAMILY OF 11 HOMELESS. A family of 11 is left homeless
by a fire that destroyed their house on South Delaware Street last Wednesday afternoon. The fire
started in an upstairs bedroom according to Harold Stauffer who lived in the house with his
brother Ralph and family. Stauffer said one of the eight children in the family; himself and Mrs.
Eunice Stauffer were home when the fire broke out. “The boy went upstairs to get dressed and
came back down for a bucket of water,” Stauffer said. “When I asked him what did he need the
water for, he said, that the bed was on fire. Stauffer said he was unsuccessful in putting out the fire
with the bucket of water and tried to shove the burning box spring out of a window. ‘The window
was just too small,” Stauffer said pointing to the burning house, “so I ran down to get the garden
hose but by then it was just too late.” The upper floor of the small bungalow turned into a blazing
inferno and the three, the boy still in his underclothing, were forced to flee. Flames and thick black
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smoke were pouring from the roof of the structure when firemen from the Paulsboro and
Billingsport fire companies arrived on the scene. Oxygen was administered to Mrs. Stauffer, who
has a breathing problem, and collapsed after fleeing from the house. Stauffer received minor burns
of the hands. The family is temporarily staying with another brother and is in need of bedding,
beds and a place to live.
1977
2/28/1977
PRODUCTION LINE FIRE CLOSES PLANT. A fire that erupted on a production line at the
Winner Chemicals Plant, on Mantua Avenue, Monday morning has temporarily shut down
operations there. The company repackages chemical products from bulk to small containers. Two
employees of the company were slightly injured when the fire broke out about 9:30 a.m. At first
firemen feared there were employees trapped inside the burning building. Hamilton Rutherford, of
Sewell, received burns of the forehead and Toni Meranti, of Paulsboro, was injured when she fell
while fleeing the flames. When firemen from Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Companies arrived
at the scene, flames had already broken through the roof of the main building that was housing the
packaging operations. A call was immediately put out for assistance for the Gibbstown Fire
Company. Borough Fire Marshal Howard Haddock said he is investigating the cause of the fire,
which was brought under control in about an hour. The plant is temporarily closed down while the
cause of the fire is investigated and an assessment is made to the damaged equipment, a plant
spokesman said. About 50 employees are affected by the shutdown that will last for several days.
3/14/1977
FAMILY LOSES HOME TO FIRE FOR THE SECOND TIME. A family was left homeless
for the second time in three years when a fire destroyed the home of Caroline DiSimone at 120 W.
Jefferson Street Monday afternoon. There is a strong possibility that someone set the house afire
since an attempt was made to burn Mrs. DiSimone’s garage by soaking it with gasoline and setting
it afire on Saturday night. Two persons were seen running from that fire which was extinguished
before any damage was done. Fire Chief Albert Feldman said the fire was definitely suspicious
and is being investigated. The fire Monday apparently started on the front porch of the house
shortly after DiSimone’s daughter, Rose, left the house to take her husband, Charles Austin, to
work. Mrs. DiSimone was visiting neighbors. One of the two Austin children, a daughter, was in
school. The other, a deaf mute boy was at home when the fire was discovered. He indicated that he
had seen someone running from the property as the fire started. The front porch of the house was
completely engulfed in flames when police and firemen arrived. The blaze was brought under
control in about 15 minutes. At first it was feared that the young daughter might be trapped in the
house. Sgt. Anderson Byrd entered the flaming structure through a rear window in search of the
girl, but was driven back by heavy smoke. Firemen with air packs were just about to enter the
house to search again for the girl when word came that she was still in school. This was the second
disastrous fire to hit the Austin family. In 1974 a fire destroyed their home and possessions. About
25 firemen from the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies turned out Monday to control the
flames that engulfed the front of the two-story frame home. One firefighter, Larry Moore of the
Billingsport Company, suffered a burned hand and was treated at the Underwood-Memorial
Hospital in Woodbury.
3/20/1977
FIRE AT PAULSBORO GARDEN APARTMENTS. Firemen battled an apartment fire at the
Paulsboro Gardens apartment complex on Sunday about 9:30 a.m. The fire broke out in the
apartment 18-B, occupied by James Fletcher, who was not home at the time when the fire began.
Firefighters from Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies had the blaze under control in about
15 minutes and confined it to the one unit. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
4/20/1977
PAULSBORO TO HAVE FIRE INSPECTIONS. Fire Marshal Howard Haddock announced
this week that the Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies will conduct inspections of the
outside of all houses and outbuildings in the borough on April 23 rd and 30th. Haddock stressed that
the inspections for possible fire hazards will only be conducted on the exterior of the buildings.
5/09/1977
NEW AMBULANCE ARRIVES. The new ambulance to serve the residents of Paulsboro arrived
here on Monday. Mayor John Burzichelli presented the keys to Borough Fire Chief Albert
Feldman and Angelo Sipielli.
5/17/1977
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HOUSE ABLAZE ON JEFFERSON STREET. A suspicious fire, at 134 W. Jefferson Street,
was extinguished by the local fire companies around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday night. A patrolman of
the Paulsboro Police Department discovered the fire. The home is several doors away from
another house that was destroyed by a suspicious fire in March. Billingsport and Paulsboro
firemen contained the blaze to the kitchen. Two other apartments in the two-story building were
smoke damage. Michael Chaires, tenant of the fire-damaged apartment, was not at home when the
fire started. Albert Feldman said no injuries were caused by the blaze, which is being investigated.
7/06/1977
TRAIN CAUSES SERIES OF BRUSH FIRES. A locomotive spewing sparks from its exhaust
system was responsible for setting a series of brush fires along a five mile stretch of railroad tracks
between Woodbury and Paulsboro on Wednesday afternoon. More than 100 firemen and dozens of
pieces of fire equipment were called out to extinguish the fires. The only real danger was in the
area of the Gloucester County Sewer Plant where a string of about 20 railroad tank cars carrying
chemicals were parked on a siding. The first fire was reported at 2:40 p.m. just outside of
Woodbury. The train was finally stopped about 3:30 p.m. in the railroad yards in Paulsboro. A
railroad company spokesman said apparently a spark arrester on the train was inoperative allowing
sparks to be blown out of the engine’s exhaust. In Paulsboro fire companies from Paulsboro,
Billingsport, Gibbstown and Repaupo extinguished the fires.
8/14/1977
FIRE HITS THEATRE IN PAULSBORO. The State Police Arson Squad has been called in to
assist local police in the investigation of a fire that heavily damaged the stage area of the Adult
Theatre early Sunday morning. A door check by borough police on routine patrol, about 1 a.m.,
disclosed an open door at the 35 West Broad Street theater, according to Police Chief Nick
Miskofsky. When Sgt. Roger DeStefano checked inside the building, a strong burning odor led to
the discovery of the stage area in flames and the auditorium filling with smoke. Fire companies
from Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown responded to the fire and were at the scene for about
three hours. According to police, fire damage was limited to the stage area and the front of the
theatre. The owner of the theatre, Richard Trombetta, had locked up for the night only about 20
minutes before the fire was discovered, police said. DiStefano said the local firefighters did a “hell
of a job” in limiting the damage to the stage area of the theatre. The theatre has been a thorn in the
side of many residents here who, in recent months, have staged protests against its existence in the
borough.
8/24/1977
THEATRE FIRE TERMED ARSON. Police believe that a fire that damaged the interior of the
Adult Theatre last Sunday was definitely a case of arson. Det. Raymond Gezzi of the Paulsboro
Police said an investigation of the fire by local and state officials revealed that at least seven fires
were ignited in the area of the theater’s stage. The recovery of three matchbooks near the damaged
area also led investigators to believe that cigarettes placed in matchbooks may have been used as
timed devices to set the fires, Gezzi said. Investigators also found an empty two-gallon can near
the stage and another in the balcony of the theater where another fire was burning. State Police are
conducting an analysis of the contents of the can.
10/04/1977
MAN ESCAPES BEDROOM FIRE. A Paulsboro man narrowly escaped serious injury early
Tuesday morning when a fire broke out in his bedroom while he was sleeping. Fire Chief Albert
Feldman said Kenneth Emerick, of 536 Billings Avenue, escaped from the room after his children
awakened him. Firemen from the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies extinguished the fire
and confined it to the room, which was completely gutted.
11/13/1977
SIMULATED AIRPLANE CRASH STAGED IN PAULSBORO. A simulated airliner crash
was held here Sunday morning to test the efficiency of county rescue units and the emergency
facilities of the Underwood Memorial Hospital in Woodbury. Shortly before dawn the Paulsboro
shuttle bus, filled with high school age and scout volunteers, who were to be crash “victims”,
pulled into an empty lot owned by Central Piping Co. on the riverfront, directly across from the
Philadelphia International Airport. The shuttle bus was to be the downed DC-8 airliner that
crashed. The Paulsboro ambulance stood by in case any real injuries occurred. The Paulsboro
Rescue Squad coordinated the drill, sponsored by the Gloucester County Ambulance and Rescue
Squad Association. In the pre-dawn darkness the victims, with simulated injuries painted on their
bodies, took positions in the weeds and among the driftwood along the river’s edge to await the
arrival of the rescue units. Their injuries ranged from simple lacerations to 3 rd degree burns and all
were emitting moans and groans. About 6 a.m. a call was put out to 15 towns that the disaster had
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occurred and within minutes rescue squads began arriving to administer emergency first aid and
transport the injured to the hospital. Rescue workers went right to the task of searching out the
victims and determining the extent of their injuries. With the temperature hovering at the freezing
mark, most of the rescue workers took off their own coats without hesitation and covered the
injured, just as if it were a real situation. A Coast Guard cutter stood by in the river a short
distance off the beach and several small rescue boats were launched to retrieve possible victims
from the river. By 8 a.m. all the victims had been removed from the scene and those who
participated were given breakfast at the Paulsboro Firehouse.
11/28/1977
FIRE HITS WINNER CHEMICAL. Gloucester County Fire Marshal William Albers and State
Police arson investigators are investigating a fire that hit the Winner Chemical Company plant on
Mantua Avenue early Monday morning. The fire was discovered in the rear section of the factory
around 4:30 a.m. Fire fighters from Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown battled the blaze for
several hours and confined it to a section that houses component parts. Walter Gindhart, chief of
the Paulsboro company said the local firemen and Gibbstown extinguished the blaze shortly
before 7 a.m. The fire was contained to section D, of the one story, 24-foot high building.
1978
1/02/1978
PAULSBORO HOME DAMAGED BY FIRE. Fire heavily damaged the interior of the Thomas
New residence at 3 Queen Street early Monday evening as the two local fire companies fought the
blaze. According to Howard Haddock, borough fire marshal, the fire began around 6 p.m. and was
under control a half-hour later. No one was in the house at the time of the fire, which was fought
by the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies, Haddock said. “The cause of the fire has not yet
been determined,” Haddock said Monday night. “I have to get some more information before
making a determination on the cause,” he added.
1/10/1978
PAULSBORO FAMILY ESCAPES FIRE. A woman and her 5 children escaped uninjured but
were left homeless Tuesday when an early morning fire completely destroyed their home at 1608
S. Delaware Street. Six firemen fighting the blaze in the 10-degree weather were treated at
Underwood-Memorial Hospital for frostbite and released. The Paulsboro and Gibbstown
ambulances were both pressed into service to take the afflicted fire fighters to the hospital. Mrs.
James, the occupant of the house, told Borough Fire Marshal Howard Haddock that she awoke to
find an electric heating unit in the living room on fire. She said to Haddock that she tried to put the
fire out with a bucket of water but was unsuccessful. Paulsboro firemen who were standing by at
the firehouse because of a fire in nearby Gibbstown several hours earlier, received the alarm at 6
a.m. and fought the blaze for more than two hours in the sub-freezing weather before bringing it
under control.
5/10/1978
TWO CAR ACCIDENT. No serious injuries were received by the occupants of two autos that
collided Saturday evening at Thomson and Elizabeth Avenues in Paulsboro. The Rev. Guido
DiBono, pastor of St. John’s Church and a house keeper were trapped in the top car for about 15
minutes before rescuers from the Paulsboro Fire Department could pry the car door loose and free
them. Uninjured in the other car were Mrs. Rose Bish and her son Thomas, of 2 W. Broad Street.
10/26/1978
TANK CAR DERAILS IN PAULSBORO. The unauthorized tampering of switching devices
may, have caused the derailment of an empty tank car from a five-car train in a switching yard, on
Railroad Avenue, on Thursday afternoon, by juveniles. Borough Fire Chief Harry Leuallen said
the tank car was empty. “Had it been filled with LPG when it derailed, a fire or explosion could
have resulted,” he added. “It was just a minor derailment,” said Leuallen, whose two fire units
responded to the call. The large amount of equipment at the scene apparently prompted a
Philadelphia television station to report that a major derailment had occurred.
10/30/1978
RECORD NUMBER OF CALLS ON MISCHIEF NIGHT. The Paulsboro Fire Department
responded to a record number of calls in one night. They responded to a total of 15 fires between
the hours of 8 p.m. and midnight, 10 grass fires and 5 dumpster fires.
10/31/1978
3 FIRE COMPANIES SAVE 2 HOMES FROM FLAMES. Three area fire companies
responded to a noontime house fire at 256 W. Buck Street on Tuesday and were able to save both
93
the home and adjoining residence at the duplex building, officials report. “It was a job well done,”
said Billingsport Fire Company Captain John Carrow. “We were able to save 90 percent of the
property.’ No one was injured during the incident. The Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire
companies, fought the two-hour battle with the flames. The fire broke out in the middle bedroom
of the home belonging to Eleanor McCormick and then spread to the residence of Anthony Roche
of 254 W. Buck St., said Carrow. No damage estimates were available. Water damage was
confined to two rooms in the McCormick home. The Roche residence suffered mostly smoke
damage, he said. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. It is under investigation by the
local fire marshal, Howard haddock.
11/03/1978
TWO CHARGED IN 1974 STORE FIRES. After an investigation that remained technically
open for nearly four years, two men have been arrested and charged with arson in connection with
a fire that destroyed a block of stores in Paulsboro’s business district in December 1974. Salvatore
Amendolia, 54, of Gibbstown, and Louis Fisher, 26, of Gloucester City, are accused of starting the
fire in an alleged attempt to fraudulently collect insurance money for one of the buildings owned
by Amendolia. The pair was indicted by the Gloucester County grand jury Wednesday but the
indictments were impounded by the county prosecutor’s office until the two were arrested.
According to the Gloucester County Assistant Prosecutor Barry N. Lozuke, Amendolia “reaped
benefits of a fraudulent claim against his insurance company” as a result of the fire, which broke
out in an auto body shop located in the defendants building at 1111 N. Delaware Street. The blaze
also damaged at least three other adjacent buildings. Det. Sgt. Raymond Gezzi, of the Paulsboro
police department, said the investigation had been active since the fire was determined to be arson.
At the time, evidence of gasoline was found at the site after the state police arson squad conducted
tests of the area, officials said.
11/25/1978
FIRE DEPT. GETS NEW FIREHOUSE MAP. The PVFA #1 can now pinpoint fires much
faster thanks to a comprehensive map of the borough drawn by fireman Herbert Mattson. Mattson,
21, of 1519 S. Delaware Street, volunteered to update the department’s old map with a larger more
detailed map of the community. The map is painted on hardboard and stands eight feet by ten feet,
covering most of one wall in the firehouse engine room. The details of the map are in color with a
color key for a guide and show every street in Paulsboro and Billingsport. The map includes the
Billingsport and Paulsboro firehouses as well as local factories, schools and oil tanks near the
Delaware River. Toy railroad tracks depict the tracks that separate Paulsboro and Billingsport.
Mattson follows in the footsteps of his grandfather Elmer W. Mattson who joined in 1926 and his
father Joseph who joined in 1945, making him a third generation fireman.
1979
.
3/28/1979
GIRL DIES IN BEACON AVENUE HOUSE FIRE. (See Large Article Section)
5/19/1979
PIZZERIA FIRE. About 35 firemen from the Paulsboro Fire Companies fought a blaze Saturday
at Tony’s Pizzeria on North Delaware Street. Billingsport Fire Chief Archie Roemmich said the
fire began at about 12:10 p.m. and originated near a stove. No one was injured in the blaze, which
firemen extinguished by 1:10 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
6/28/1979
STORAGE TANK AT MOBIL EXPLODES. (See Large Article Section)
9/14/1979
APARTMENT GUTTED IN BLAZE. A borough apartment was gutted Saturday after a fire of
undetermined origin swept the second floor of the two story unit. The afternoon fire damaged the
Spence residence on Manor Avenue in the Paulsboro Garden Apartments complex. Firemen
contained the flames to the second floor of the unit, where the blaze originated. The first floor
received smoke and water damage. No one was injured in the fire, although one resident, Tina
Spence, was taken to Underwood Memorial Hospital, Woodbury, where she was treated for
hyperventilation and shock before being released Saturday afternoon, said a hospital spokesman.
Although firefighters contained the blaze to the Spence apartment, fire officials instructed tenants
in the two adjoining apartments to remove their belongings as a precaution against smoke or water
damage. “What the smoke or water didn’t get, I’m getting out”, said Sandra Redman, who lives
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next door to the Spence’s. She added that officials told her to move her belongings after heat from
the fire began seeping through a wall separating the two units.
11/13/1979
5-YEAR-OLD DIES IN THOMSON AVE. BLAZE. (See Large Article Section)
1980
1/08/1980
THREE CHILDREN DIE IN HOFMANN AVENUE FIRE. (See Large Article Section)
2/02/1980
PAULSBORO FIRE DESTROYS HOUSE. A fire of undetermined origin gutted a small, twostory home at 120 W. Jefferson St. Saturday morning. The white shingle and block dwelling has
been vacant for some time, said Borough Fire Chief Jack Suiter. However, repairs were being
made to the house, he added. Suiter said his firefighters had had little difficulty extinguishing the
blaze, although they also battled icy conditions brought on by 10-degree weather and gusty winds.
The 6:30 am fire apparently started in a basement and spread to the two main floors. “When I got
there,” Suiter explained, “there were flames coming out the basement door.” Firemen from both
the Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Companies extinguished the blaze in about one hour.
4/23/1980
FOUR ESCAPE HOUSE FIRE IN PAULSBORO. A Gloucester County Corrections officer
and her three sons escaped unharmed as fire gutted their home on North Delaware Street here
Tuesday afternoon. The fire apparently started about 3:45 p.m. in the crawlspace of Sandra
VanSciver’s home adjacent to an abandoned store on the corner of Madison Street. It quickly
spread up the back wall and gutted most of the rooms inside the two-story house, according to
firemen. “Everyone was out of the house when we got here,” said Borough Fire Chief Jack Suiter.
“It was blazing right under there,” he said pointing to the still smoldering windows of the
crawlspace. “The house is a total loss,” Ms. VanSciver said later. Her family occupied a four-room
apartment on the second floor, and she said the first floor apartment was vacant. She said Frank
and Vito DiGiovacchino of Paulsboro owned the building. After firemen extinguished the blaze,
Ms. VanSciver walked through the house loading items that could be saved in cardboard boxes
provided by neighbors.
5/14/1980
GARGAE GUTTED BY FIRE. A fire gutted a two-car garage at 1004 N. Delaware Street
Wednesday night. The fire at the garage, which police says is owned by Izzy Esposito of
Woodbury Heights, started at 10:04 p.m. and was under extinguished by both the local fire
companies within ten minutes. Paulsboro Fire Chief Jack Suiter said the cause of the blaze is
under investigation. There were no injuries in the fire.
7/28/1980
FIRE DAMAGES VACANT BOROUGH HOME. Fire officials are investigating the cause of a
one-alarm fire that damaged a two story vacant home at 33 Capitol St. last night. The alarm was
sounded at 8:15 PM, and the blaze was under control 25 minutes later, according to Billingsport
Fire Chief Archie Roemmich. The home had been vacant for at least three months, according to
nearby residents. A woman in Connecticut owns the house. No one was injured in the blaze,
Roemmich said, and nearby residences were not affected. The three-bedroom home is still
standing, but its back porch, kitchen, and one upstairs bedroom were badly damaged in the fire.
The rest of the home received extensive water damage. Roemmich refused to speculate on the
possibility of foul play, saying only, ”It’s under investigation by Fire Marshal Howard Haddock of
the Paulsboro Fire Dept.” Haddock said the blaze started in the back porch, but indicated he would
begin a full-scale investigation into its exact cause today.
7/30/1980
BLAZE DAMAGES PAULSBORO HOME. A fire late Wednesday night damaged a home on
East Buck Street. Police said the blaze began at 11:04 p.m. at the Kenneth Mann residence at 20 E.
Buck St. Howard Haddock, Borough Fire Marshal, said the fire was extinguished within an hour,
but the kitchen and the living room was severely damaged. There were no reports of injuries.
Haddock said the cause of the fire is undetermined and still under further investigation. The
Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies fought the blaze.
9/08/1980
FIRE DESTROYS SCHOOL SUPPLIES. A Sunday night blaze of undetermined origin
destroyed a Beacon Avenue building storing furniture and supplies for St. John’s School, fire
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officials said. The fire started at 7:38 p.m. Sunday and it was brought under control in about an
hour, said Borough Fire Marshal Howard Haddock. The building is located on the edge of the
school grounds. The fire did not affect the classroom building, Haddock said. Haddock said the
small storage building, which contained extra desks and carnival stands, was a total loss.
11/09/1980
FIRE GUTS BEDROOM OF PAULSBORO HOUSE. A Friday afternoon fire gutted the
bedroom of a house at 229 W. Buck Street. Borough Fire Marshal Howard Haddock said the fire,
which began about 1:30 p.m., was confined to the rear bedroom before it was extinguished around
2:30 p.m. Haddock said none of the occupants of the house, Mrs. J. Hughes and her two children,
were injured. The Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies fought the blaze. The fire marshal
said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
12/30/1980
BOXCAR FIRE CAUSES CONCERN. The Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies were
called to extinguish a boxcar fire at the Conrail tracks, on Universal Avenue, Tuesday night. The
fire was extinguished in about 20 minutes. Paulsboro Fire Chief Jack Suiter said the fire was
suspicious. Authorities feared they might have had to evacuate some families from the area for a
short time because of the fire.
1981
3/22/1981
FALL FROM TRUCK HURTS FIREMAN AT FIRE. A firefighter was injured when he fell
off a truck on the way to a house fire Sunday, on Hoffman Avenue. No one was injured in the fire
at the Gloria Braxton residence at 1013 Hoffman Avenue, but Robert McGinn Sr. of the
Billingsport Fire Company suffered wrist and elbow injuries when he fell off the fire truck en
route to the alarm, according to Assistant Chief Archie Roemmich. The fire broke out at about 1
p.m. and was confined mainly to a second floor bedroom, said Paulsboro Fire Dept. Chief Jack
Suiter. The rest of the two-story structure sustained smoke and water damage, he added. An
unidentified woman and girl escaped the fire without injury, Suiter said. The fire was extinguished
in about 15 minutes. The cause of the fire is unknown but is being investigated by the fire
marshal’s office, according to Suiter. Roemmich did not know what caused McGinn, 32, to fall off
the truck. He said the McGinn was dressed in fire fighting gear and standing on the outside of the
truck. He said the incident is being investigated. McGinn was treated for a possible fracture of his
right wrist and an injured elbow at Underwood Hospital in Woodbury. The fireman was later
released, according to a spokesperson.
4/15/1981
WOMAN INJURED IN CAR CRASH ON MANTUA AVE. A 20-year old West Deptford
woman was injured Wednesday night in a two-car collision at Mantua avenue and 7th St. The
accident occurred about 9 p.m. near St. John’s school. Police said it is believed that a car driven by
a Paulsboro man crossed into the woman’s lane, thus striking the drivers side of her vehicle.
Police said the woman was trapped in her car for about 15 minutes. Paulsboro, Billingsport and
Mt. Royal fire companies assisted in the rescue.
4/28/1981
WORKERS FLEE EXPLOSION AT WINNER CHEMICAL. (See Large Article Section)
5/16/1981
FIRE DESTROYS DELAWARE STREET BUILDING. A raging fire gutted the building at
1104 & 1106 Delaware Street. It is the former home of the Bob –Ton store. The fire, of suspicious
nature, destroyed the vacant building early Saturday morning. Fire crews from both borough
companies took almost five hours to extinguish the blaze, which started about 2 a.m., said police.
No one was injured in the incident. Fire officials from the county’s arson unit are investigating the
cause of the fire.
6/01/1981
NEW COUNTY DISPATCH SYSTEM BEGINS. All Fire Department communications was
transferred from the Police Department to the Gloucester County Communications Center.
7/29/1981
ARSON UNIT INVESTIGATING FIRE AT PIZZERIA. Police and county officials are
investigating the cause of a “suspicious” fire at a pizzeria this morning. A passing motorist at 1:21
this morning reported the fire at the Reggio Calabria Pizzeria at 655 N. Delaware Street. The
Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies extinguished the blaze by 2 a.m. There were no reports
of injuries. Sgt. Roger DiStefano said an investigation by Rick Chandler of the County Arson Unit
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revealed the fire started at several places in the kitchen and service areas. “At this point it’s
suspicious and still under investigation,” DiStefano said. He added there was a suspicious fire at
the pizzeria several years ago when the business was under a different owner.
12/07/1981
PAULSBORO BRUSH FIRE SUSPICIOUS. Firefighters Monday contained a suspicious brush
fire in a 25-acre field off Mantua Avenue that threatened tot spread to nearby homes and oil
manufacturing plants. About 25 firefighters from Paulsboro, Billingsport and Mt. Royal fire
companies fought the blaze, which broke out at 11:30 a.m. and was brought under control at 1:30
p.m. no injuries were reported. “I have no doubt that it’s a suspicious fire. It happens here every
year,” said Paulsboro Fire Chief Jack Suiter. Although the fire destroyed only bushes and tires in
the field, firefighters were afraid that changing winds would carry the flames to homes on nearby
DuPont Avenue, the BP Oil Company plant and the former Winner Chemical Company on
Universal Lane. Thick black smoke covered the area. Shifting winds caused the fire to spread to
different parts of the field. “The winds shifted first towards the DuPont Avenue homes,” said
Assistant Fire Chief Archie Roemmich, of the Billingsport Company. He said two trucks were
parked on the street in the event that the blazes might spread there.
1982
2/07/1982
FIRE DAMAGES HAMPTON HOME. Council President Elwood Hampton and his family
were driven from their Morton Avenue home here by an early morning fire, which caused severe
damage, according to fire officials. Hampton’s 17-year-old daughter and a borough fire chief had
to be treated for smoke inhalation caused by the blaze but neither was hospitalized. The cause of
the fire has not been determined yet, according to Borough Fire Marshal Howard Haddock. The
blaze burned out the kitchen and caused considerable damage to the rest of the former mayor’s
home at 250 Morton Avenue. Hampton’s wife, Geneva, said the family was sleeping when the fire
apparently began about 7:45 a.m. Someone smelled the smoke and all 10 members of the family
were able to get out of the house safely, she said. The Hampton’s daughter, Ila, suffered smoke
inhalation, however, and was taken to Underwood Memorial Hospital, Woodbury, by another
member of the family, she said. Billingsport Fire Chief Archie Roemmich also complained of a
shortness of breath and was also treated at the hospital, according to a hospital spokesman. Both
were released after treatment. Paulsboro Fire Chief Jack Suiter said flames were already shooting
out of a window in the kitchen in the rear of the home, where the fire apparently started, when
firefighters arrived. Suiter said the blaze was brought under control in about 10 minutes, but fire
crews stayed on the scene for the next two hours to make certain it was extinguished. Fire Marshal
Haddock said the damage to the two-story house was very severe. He said the dining room and
living room were also heavily damaged. The rest of the house had heat and smoke damage, he
said. Haddock said he would be meeting with Hampton today to discuss how the fire could have
started. The Hampton’s, who have seven children, have taken temporary quarters at the Dutch Inn
in Gibbstown. The house is not livable, said Hampton.
2/26/1982
COUNCIL OKAYS NEW RULES FOR SQUAD. Members of the borough council agreed
Thursday to continue funding the local ambulance squad but also agreed that the association could
have looser ties with the borough fire department. According to the informal agreement, which is
contingent on Solicitor Martin Herman’s recommendations, the borough will continue to own and
maintain the ambulance squad’s vehicle and supplies. What will be different from previous years
is that the ambulance squad will receive its borough support directly, instead of through the fire
department budget. The agreement also means that members of the ambulance squad will not have
to be members of one of the two borough fire companies. The council unanimously agreed
Thursday to allocate $10,000 for 1982 expenses to the squad whose 18 members last Sunday
voted the group a new name – the Paulsboro Community Ambulance Association. Jack Suiter,
borough fire chief and unofficial spokesman for the volunteer association, said it would continue
its past practice of using borough funds to pay only for insurance, gas and vehicle maintenance
costs. Suiter said that the structural break with the Paulsboro Fire Department, with whom the
squad houses its ambulance, is an amicable one that will improve the squad’s effectiveness. He
explained that in the past, to ensure that they were covered by proper insurance, ambulance
association members were required to be both certified EMT’s and also members of one of the fire
companies. This created somewhat of a problem for women interested in joining the emergency
medical service who did not care to become members of the fire department as well. He said
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association members had not given much thought to the idea of becoming a completely
independent organization, but that it might be something to think about for the future.
3/30/1982
HEATER CAUSES FIRE IN HOUSE. A kerosene heater is suspected as the cause of a fire that
damaged a home on Roosevelt Street. At least one occupant, Valerie Beulak, 32, was injured. She
was treated at Underwood Hospital for burns to her left arm and both legs, and released.
3/31/1982
MAN FACING ARSON CHARGE. Michael Brinn, a 28 tear old borough resident, was charged
with setting fire to his unit in the Berkley Manor Apartments off Berkley Road late Wednesday,
police said. Damage from the fire, which began in a couch, was limited to the bedroom in Brinn’s
apartment, according to Borough Fire Chief Jack Suiter. Brinn was a resident of apartment B-4.
“There was more smoke to it than anything else,” the chief said. No other unit was damaged in the
complex, Suiter added. The fire broke out shortly before midnight, Suiter said. Firemen left the
scene at 1:30 a.m. Police charged Brinn with aggravated arson. Authorities said the fire started in
the bedroom. Brinn was held at the county jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.
4/01/1982
HIGH WINDS FAN FLAMES IN GRASS FIRE. High winds hampered firefighters who
battled a grass fire in a field between Mantua and Dupont avenues Thursday afternoon, Borough
Fire Chief Jack Suiter said. Although the winds fanned the flames over several acres for more than
an hour, they also prevented the 2:32 p.m. blaze from threatening homes on DuPont Avenue, the
chief said. “The wind was blowing very strongly away from the houses, so there were no serious
problems,” Suiter said. Suiter said juveniles probably started the fire. He said the fire occurred in
an overgrown field that burns annually. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies responded
to the fire. No injuries were reported. They left the scene around 4 p.m. only to return a couple of
hours later when some railroad ties caught fire.
6/24/1982
FIRE DAMAGES SPORTSWEAR FIRM. A fire of suspicious nature caused minor damage
Thursday night at the Jay-Dee Sportswear Co. on E. Broad Street, according to Bud Haddock, the
borough’s fire marshal. The fire broke out about 9 PM on two wooden doors to the rear of the
building, Haddock said. Firemen extinguished the burning doors within 10 minutes, he said.
Damage to the rest of the structure was restricted to smoke from the burning wood. No cause has
been officially determined as of this morning. The origin of the fire indicated that it might have
been intentionally set, Haddock noted.
7/01/1982
FIRE DAMAGES RESIDENCE. A fire caused minor damage Sunday night to the James
DeBerry residence on W. Adams St., police said. The fire broke out about 9:10 PM in an area
between the roof and the bathroom ceiling, said police. Borough firemen were able to prevent the
flames from traveling beyond the starting point. There were no reported injuries. The family was
taken to the Dutch Inn in Gibbstown for lodging, according to police.
7/18/1982
WINNER CHEMICALS FIRE IS SUSPICIOUS. A fire that officials are calling suspicious
raced through an abandoned warehouse at the Winner Chemicals Co. Thursday night, causing
extensive damage but injuring no one. The fire broke out at 8:15 PM at the facility off Universal
Avenue and was brought under control at 10:23 PM, according to a spokesman at the
Communications Center. The spokesman said there were no injuries but that the warehouse
suffered extensive structural damage. Borough Fire Marshal Howard Haddock said he did not find
any chemicals in the building at the time of the fire. The DEP was not called out as no hazardous
chemicals were found to be involved at the fire scene. Police said the building was vacant at the
time of the fire, ant that Winner is no longer operating at the location. The fire was of suspicious
origin according to police, who said the county fire marshal’s office is investigating. Haddock said
he and an investigator from the county examined the structure Thursday night and did not find any
accelerant. He said he would continue investigating today to determine the cause of the fire.
Firemen from Gibbstown, East Greenwich and Bridgeport also assisted in extinguishing the blaze.
8/12/1982
TERMINAL FIRE MAY BE ARSON. Fire authorities here are investigating an apparent arson
discovered at the Inland Terminal Corp. Sunday evening. The fire injured no one and damage
appeared to be minimal, according to Borough Fire Chief Jack Suiter. Firefighters responding to a
call at 5:45 p.m. found four separate fires burning on the grounds of the Mantua Avenue shipping
terminal, according to Suiter. The fires were restricted to waste paper on the grounds of the
terminal and did not involve any buildings, said Suiter. He said the worst of the four fires was
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brought under control in about 20 minutes. Borough Fire Marshal Howard Haddock is
investigating the fire and was calling in the arson unit from the county also.
10/03/1982
PAULSBORO HOUSE FIRE IS CALLED SUSPICIOUS. A blaze in a vacant house that took
firemen several hours to extinguish early Sunday morning is being called “suspicious,” according
to the borough fire chief. Firemen were called to the house at 505 N. Delaware Street about 12:30
a.m. and remained at the scene until about 5:15 a.m., said chief Jack Suiter. The fire apparently
destroyed the house, Suiter said. “It took awhile to put out the fire,” the chief said. “It was a very
smoky fire. It was up in the walls and it spread up to a false ceiling in the attic. It was very hard to
get close to,” said Suiter. Suiter said that when he arrived on the scene flames were coming out
both the first and second floor windows. A Paulsboro policeman who noticed a large amount of
smoke in the area originally discovered the fire. Upon investigating, Ptl. Tom Melfe found the
house to be burning fiercely. He then called his dispatcher to summon the fire companies. County
arson investigators were probing the scene Sunday afternoon.
1983
5/15/1983
FIREMEN BATTLE MOBIL BLAZE. Two Mobil Oil Refinery plant employees received
minor injuries during a pre-dawn, 4 alarm fire at one of the company’s oil processing units on
Monday morning. The fire began at approximately 3:15 a.m., according to Ed Kolakoski, a Mobil
employee-relations manager, who was acting as a company spokesman this morning. It was
officially under control by 6:30 a.m. The fire involved a refractor unit, called a PTR unit that
breaks down oil into its various components. The cause of the fire was immediately known.
Thirteen fire companies, in addition to the plant’s own fire fighting personnel, battled the blaze. A
Gibbstown resident, who lives along Billingsport Road, across from the refinery, saw the fire
ignite. “There was this big flash. It really lit up the sky. The flames looked like they were 300 feet
high.” He said township police came around to the neighboring houses, warning the residents it
might be necessary to evacuate. However, since no hazardous materials were involved in the fire,
that move was not considered necessary. The fire burned out of control for about 3 hours. It was
fully extinguished by about 10 a.m., when the 13 fire companies finally left the scene. Another
Mobil spokesman, Robert Wiener, said the blaze started in the pump house of the unit. Wiener and
local fire officials denied there was any explosion before or after the fire started. “It flashed but
there was no big explosion, no tanks involved,” Wiener said. “There was some sort of stream of
hydrocarbons in the pump house and ignited.”
8/03/1983
PARADE HELF FOR NEW FIRE TRUCK. The Paulsboro Fire Company held a parade to
house its new Mack fire truck
9/12/1983
TWO MEN INJURED IN COOK AVENUE FIRE. An elderly man and his son were treated at
area hospitals after fire swept through the father’s home at 447 ½ Cook Avenue on Monday
afternoon. Alex Dobzanski Jr., 50, of Gibbstown, was treated for burns on the upper part of his
body at Crozier Medical Center, Chester, Pa. His father, Alex Sr., 72, was treated for shortness of
breath at the Underwood Memorial Hospital, Woodbury, and released. Borough Fire Marshal
Albert Feldman said the fire apparently started in an insect exterminating machine Dobzanski was
using in his father’s house around 11:45 a.m. The fire, which was not declared under control until
1:17 p.m., gutted the first floor of the house and caused extensive smoke damage to the second
floor, said Feldman. Feldman said a next door neighbor was asked to leave her home because
firefighters were afraid fumes from a chemical that had been used in the exterminating machine
might be harmful. He said the chemical had not yet been identified. The fire marshal said he did
not know exactly how the fire started in the machine, but that he was still investigating. He said he
hasn’t had a chance to talk to the men because of their injuries. Authorities believe the younger
Dobzanski was burned when the machine caught fire. The father’s condition was brought on by
the excitement. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies fought the blaze.
1984
1/23/1984
FIRE AT GAS STATION. The local fire companies were dispatched at 9 a.m. to a car fire at
Benne’s gas station. The car had driven into the service station on W. Broad Street with smoke
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coming from the vehicle. The gas attendants attempted to put out the fire in the engine
compartment with fire extinguishers. Unable to do so, they pushed the car into the street where the
firefighters put out the remaining flames. Cause of fire is unknown.
4/09/1984
FIRE DAMAGES ADAMS STREET HOME. A fire that apparently started in the kitchen area
of a West Adams Street home caused extensive damage throughout the dwelling. A neighbor
noticed the flames and called fire companies around 12:40 p.m. When the fire companies arrived
at 262 W. Adams Street, flames were coming from the 1 st and 2nd story windows. The occupants
of the house were able to get out of the house in time. There were no injuries. County Fire
Investigator Art Morley reported that a faulty stove was probably the culprit. He stated that the
house is unlivable. The blaze was declared under control about 25 minutes after it started.
Firefighters from the Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire companies were at the scene until
about 3:15 p.m.
5/19/1984
PAULSBORO HOME DAMAGED BY FIRE. A house at Beacon Avenue and 5th Street was
damaged by fire Saturday afternoon. Authorities are investigating the blaze that damaged the
basement and dining area of the two-story dwelling while no one was home, Borough Fire Chief
Greg Hurst said. The fire broke out at about noon and was brought under control about 12:36 p.m.
by the Billingsport, Paulsboro, Gibbstown and Mt. Royal fire companies. When the firefighters
arrived at the scene, smoke was observed coming from the eaves of the house and flames could be
seen in the basement and inside the front windows near the main door. The firemen had to force
open the doors to extinguish the fire. The owners of the home, Joe and Vera Bender were away on
vacation at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire seems to be centered on a faulty electrical
panel in the basement. It is believed the fire started in the basement and went up through the wall
above the electrical panel into the upper ceiling.
6/17/1984
FIRE WRECKS THOMSON AVENUE GARAGE. A garage in the rear of 244 Thomson
Avenue was completely destroyed by fire around 5 o’clock this morning. When firefighters
arrived at the scene the garage was completely engulfed in flames. The residents next door were
evacuated in case the fire, which was burning fiercely for a time, extended to their house. The
county fire arson squad was called in to investigate the fire along with local officials. Steve
DeMora of the Paulsboro Fire Company was transported to Underwood-Memorial Hospital,
Woodbury, after suffering an injury to his right leg.
8/16/1984
FIRE DAMAGES PAULSBORO AMBULANCE BUILDING. Fire officials are investigating a
blaze which damaged the Paulsboro Community Ambulance Assoc. new headquarters on E. Broad
St. The blaze broke out shortly after 12:30 a.m. in an office section of the one story frame
structure. It was declared under control in about 15 minutes by firefighters from both local
companies, fire officials said. “There is a lot of smoke and water damage. The ceiling fell in over
the kitchen and office areas,” said association president Sally Doak. The squad’s ambulance
suffered smoke and water damage. Several pieces of plastic melted during the fire, Mrs. Doak
said. A specific damage estimate was not available. No injuries were reported. The cause of the
fire is under investigation by the county fire marshal’s office and prosecutor’s office. The 40member ambulance squad moved into the $30,000 building in January. A dedication ceremony
had been scheduled for August 25th. However, that ceremony has been postponed until the damage
is repaired, said Doak. The building was financed by the squad members, through numerous fund
raising events, according to the squad president.
9/04/1984
BLAZE DAMAGES HOME; FIREMAN INJURED. A borough fireman was injured Tuesday
morning while fighting a fire that damaged a two-story frame house. The owner's grandchildren
may have started the fire. Three children escaped injury in the 10:17 a.m. blaze at the Elnora
Veney residence at 245 W. Adams St., but Mrs. Veney, 68, suffered a mild case of smoke
inhalation. The injured fireman was identified as Jim Lutz, a captain with the Billingsport Fire
Company. He suffered a knee injury, fire officials said, and was treated at Underwood Hospital,
Woodbury, and released. Mrs. Veney did not require hospital treatment. The fire, which damaged
the roof, attic, and a portion of the second story, was declared under control an hour after it started.
Borough Fire Marshal Howard Haddock said the cause was still under investigation Tuesday
night, but Mrs. Veney told a reporter she believed two of her grandchildren, who were staying at
the house, had set a bed in the attic on fire. Haddock would not give a damage estimate, but said
the family can return to the house once the roof is repaired and electric power restored. The
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Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire companies fought the blaze during heavy rains and
remained at the scene until about 12:30 p.m.
12/14/1984
LIQUOR STORE, HOUSE DAMAGED IN 2 BLAZES. Two fires that started about five
minutes and a half-mile apart seriously damaged a house and a liquor store early Tuesday. Police
and county detectives investigating the case suspect that both fires may have been set by an
arsonist. A Paulsboro fireman Al Giampola was injured when a door hit him while he was fighting
a fire at Del’s Liquor Store on Broad Street. Giampola was taken to the Underwood-Memorial
Hospital and released. Firefighters from Paulsboro, Verga and Thorofare rescued three children
and three adults trapped in an apartment above the liquor store owned by Curtis and Valerie Lee.
None of the six were injured in the fire, which blazed at the base of the stairs leading to the
upstairs apartment. Beatrice Hamilton lived in the apartment with two other adults and three
children, Paulsboro police said. Most of the damage to the store from the 2:27 a.m. fire was due to
water and smoke, police said. At 2:20 a.m., volunteers from the Billingsport, Gibbstown and Mt.
Royal fire companies, who were diverted from the Broad Street fire, were called to a house in the
1200 block of Berkley Road. The two-story, wood-frame house was occupied by Joanne and
Solomon Smith, who were not home at the time, Paulsboro police said. Paulsboro Fire Chief Greg
Hurst said extensive smoke and water damage resulted from the house fire, which began in the
kitchen. “It’s listed as suspicious,” the chief said.
1985
1/04/1985
CAR FIRE ON WASHINGTON ST. A vehicle caught fire in front of 114 W. Washington Street
and suffered extensive damage. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies responded and
extinguished the blaze. The 1980 Chevy belonged to Brenda Green. The fire is believed to have
been started by a short in the motor wiring.
1/18/1985
ARSONIST STRIKES CAR DEALERSHIP. A fire, believed to have been started by an
arsonist, destroyed a car in the rear of Colony Used Cars on W. Broad Street. Upon arrival of the
local fire companies, the car was found to be fully engulfed in flames. The firefighters quickly
extinguished the flames. Fire officials are conducting an investigation on the fire.
2/23/1985
HOME DAMAGED BY FIRE. A home on Swedesboro Avenue was heavily damaged by fire on
Saturday. The fire was reported at about 12:45 a.m. at the Warren Hamilton residence. Firefighters
from 4 area companies fought the blaze at the 2-story home for about an hour before declaring it
under control. The Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies responded first to the scene and
upon arrival found fire coming from the rear upstairs bedroom. A second alarm was sent in for the
Gibbstown and Mt. Royal fire companies. The firefighters remained at the scene till 2:50 a.m., but
returned to the home about an hour later when the fire rekindled. Crews left the second time at
4:45 a.m. The fire gutted the bedroom and the roof also suffered extensive damage as well as the
attic area. An investigation led by Art Morley, County Fire Marshal, found that an undetermined
flammable agent, possibly kerosene, started the fire. Police officials said no one was home when
the fire broke out.
3/21/1985
TWO FIREMEN HURT AT SWAMP FIRE. Two firemen were hurt fighting a large weed fire
behind Dupont Avenue that kept firemen busy for several hours. Archie Roemmich and Joe Lisa,
both of the Billingsport Fire Company, were treated at Underwood-Memorial Hospital, in
Woodbury, for smoke inhalation and released. Both local fire companies were on the scene from 7
p.m. till 11:30 p.m.
4/05/1985
GRASS FIRE REACHES HOUSE. A small grass got some help from a blowing wind a burned
right up to a house at 1207 N. Commerce Street. The fire, which started as a two-foot wide dry
grass fire, worked its way inside the walls of the home. The firemen had to remove the siding to
extinguish the flames. The fire companies were dispatched at 14:07 p.m. and were at the scene for
about one hour. The county fire marshal was the investigating officer.
4/14/1985
RESCUE CREWS SEARCH FOR “FINGER TIPS.” A 15 year old boy had the tips of his
fingers severed to the first joint Sunday night when his hand became intangled in the chain of a
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moped, borough police reported. The boy was apparently driving the moped in front of his house
when the vehicle slipped and his hand became caught in the chain, said police. In hope of finding
the finger tips and reattaching them, firefighters from the two borough fire companies and the
local ambulance crew were dispatched to the scene of the accident, near Young’s Garage, at about
8 o’clock. Volunteers armed with flashlights and search lights, combed the area in front of the
boy’s home. Only one fingertip was found, lodged in the chain of the moped. It was determined
later that the fingertip could not be reattached at the hospital.
5/11/1985
FIRE AT GAS STATION. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were called out to
extinguish a fire at the Hop & Shop gas station on S. Delaware Street. A dark blue car drove into
the gas pump island and crashed into one of the pumps. The pump caught fire as the car drove
away. There was no other damage and the firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.
5/15/1985
WOMAN DIES IN ACCIDENT ON ROUTE 295. A girl died in a bizarre accident on Interstate
295 near Exit 18-B in Paulsboro. The car, with 3 occupants, was following a tractor-trailer with a
dump body, and all of a sudden the dump body raised and became wedged under the S. Delaware
Street overpass. The car slammed into the rear of the dump body and the front part of the car was a
total wreck. Fire companies from Paulsboro, Gibbstown, Mt. Royal, East Greenwich and Verga
responded to the scene along with ambulances and paramedic units. It took almost an hour to
extricate the girl, driver of the gold Ford Granada, from the car. The other two occupants were
taken to the local hospital and were listed in critical condition. The driver of the truck was okay.
10/09/1985
CAR AFIRE ON COMMERCE STREET. A car belonging to Henry Rumbel was totaled by
fire in front of 1415 Commerce Street. When the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies
arrived they found a large amount of black smoke coming from inside the car. With the doors and
hood of the car being locked, it took the firefighters a longer time to extinguish the flames. The
fire is believed to have been caused by faulty wiring under the dash of the car.
10/12/1985
HOUSE FIRE AT THE SEAWALL. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were
dispatched at 20:53 Saturday evening for a house fire at 1 Seawall owned by Louise Raynor. The
fire which seemed to have been started from the outside, caused damage to the rear wall of the
house and also damage to the roof area. The house was vacant at the time and all the doors and
windows were locked. The firefighters had to kick in the front door to gain entry into the house. A
neighbor saw 4 kids running from the scene of the fire. The fire crews returned to their stations at
23:53 p.m. The local and county fire marshals are conducting an investigation into the cause.
11/07/1985
WOMAN INJURED IN ACCIDENT. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Mt. Royal and Gibbstown
fire companies were called out when a Clarksboro woman was injured when her car struck the
back of a tractor trailer on Berkley Road, near the Paulsboro McDonalds. Mary Miller, after being
extricated by the rescue crews, was being treated for at Cooper Hospital for facial and internal
injuries. She was listed in critical condition. Miller was traveling south on Berkley Road about 9
p.m. when her car struck a tractor trailer being operated by a North Carolina man. The truck driver
was in the process of making a right hand turn into the Traveler’s Plaza truck stop when the
accident occurred. He was not injured.
12/12/1985
BAR & APARTMENT DESTROYED BY FIRE. The fire that swept through a second floor
apartment here early Thursday left the Worthy family with only three possessions- the clothes on
their backs and two charred family bibles. Four of the seven family members who lived in the
three-bedroom apartment were asleep inside at the time of the fire. They escaped after Lynn
Worthy, a 27 year old Army officer home on leave, smashed a dining room window and led her
sisters down an outdoor stairway. The fire, under investigation as arson, ripped through the
apartment on West Adams Street at about 12:30 a.m., spreading from the Wonder Bar on the first
floor. All the Christmas presents bought for the kids by the family’s grandmother were destroyed
by the fire, along with the family’s Christmas tree. Lynn, due back at Fort Carson, Colo., lost her
military uniforms in the blaze. No one was injured in the fire. But, the family dog, Arthur, was
trapped and died in the blaze. “The firemen tried to get him out, but he was too afraid and he bit
them” said Lynn. According to county prosecutor Alvin Shpeen, an investigator from his office is
probing the fire. John Atkinson, the borough fire marshal, said arson is being probed as possible
cause of the blaze. “Were still investigating it, arson is still the main focal point. We’ve come up
with nothing yet,” he said. According to the building’s owner, Ken Wood, the bar and apartment
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were destroyed by the fire. “It looks like the whole things gone. It’s been here a long while. This
bar’s been here since I was a little kid,” said Wood as he boarded up the building. The building
was insured, he added. Wood said the fire might have started in electrical wiring of the bar and
spread upstairs to the apartment. Firefighters from Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown were at the
scene till about 4:30 a.m. battling the flames.
12/27/1985
DROWNING NEAR NATIONAL PARK. The Paulsboro Fire Company’s marine rescue boat
was called into National Park to help locate the body of a missing hunter. Two gunners were on an
island when their boat began to drift away. One fellow tried to swim for it but got cramps and
could not make it back and went under.
1986
1/06/1986
CAR DESTROYED, GARAGE DAMAGED IN FIRE. A 1980 Buick was completely
destroyed in a fire that happened in an early morning fire at 701 Billings Avenue. Ellen Doerrman
said she started up her car and went in the house to let it warm up. But, when she came back out of
the house the car was smoking. She called the fire department and then attempted to put the fire
out with a garden hose to no avail. When the local fire companies arrived on the scene there was a
large amount of smoke and flames coming from the vehicle. The fire was also beginning to catch
the garage on fire. The car was totaled and the wooden door on the garage was scorched.
1/26/1986
ACCIDENT ON BROAD STREET. The fire companies were called out to assist the police with
a vehicle accident on West Broad Street around 9 p.m. The vehicle fist hit some trashcans in front
of the Heritage’s store, then crossed over Broad Street and hit the corner of the Cup and Sauce
Diner breaking off the front corner. The cat was totaled.
3/03/1986
KITCHEN DAMAGED BY FIRE. A stove that was left on damaged the kitchen of the resident
at 101 W. Buck Street. The fire companies were called out to extinguish a fire that began when the
stove was left on which then caught a can opener on fire that was left on top of the range. The can
opener burned up and the smoke blackened the kitchen.
4/10/1986
LARGE BRUSH FIRE. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were kept busy for over
two hours fighting a large brush fire off of Mantua Avenue. The Gibbstown, Mt. Royal and East
Greenwich fire departments were also called in to help the local firefighters. The firemen were at
the scene from 16:05 till 18:30 p.m. One Billingsport fireman was slightly injured.
5/14/1986
STOVE FIRE CAUSES DAMAGE. A stove fire, caused by someone cooking food then leaving
the residence, caused extensive damage to the kitchen in the home at 107 E. Jefferson Street. Both
fire companies responded and were quick to extinguish the flames. Damage was estimated at
around $500. The stove, cabinets and curtains were all burned.
6/27/1986
MANTUA AVENUE HOUSE GUTTED BY FIRE. The home of Ellsworth Cassidy was gutted
by fire when flames ripped through the house. The owner had just used the stove and had gone
upstairs when he heard a “pop.” He then went downstairs and saw a lot of smoke and fire and
proceeded to exit the house. A neighbor called in the fire to the police. The Paulsboro and
Billingsport fire companies were dispatched to the scene at 2:44 p.m. and were at the scene until
6:20 p.m. The Gibbstown and Mt. Royal fire companies also responded. The fire marshal
determined that the gas stove was faulty and was the cause of the fire.
8/11/1986
STOLEN CAR SET AFIRE. A car that was stolen earlier was set afire in a field adjacent to
Olive Street around 2 o’clock in the morning. The fire companies found the vehicle to be fully
engulfed in flames upon their arrival. The front tag was confiscated by the police and it revealed
that the car was reported stolen by the resident at about 10 p.m.
10/11/1986
GARAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE. A fire believed to have been started by children destroyed
a garage behind the residence at 10 W. Washington Street.
11/04/1986
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BLAZE DESTROYS PAULSBORO DUPLEX. A two story duplex house on the corner of
Monroe and Cox streets was destroyed Tuesday night by a two alarm fire, which broke out around
8:45 p.m. The two families that occupied the house were not at home when the fire started, police
said. The fire was brought under control by 9:58 p.m. through combined efforts of the Paulsboro,
Billingsport and Gibbstown fire companies. Acting, as backup units were the Thorofare, Mt.
Royal and Repaupo companies. There were no injuries. According to Zelia Graham, one of the
house’s occupants, she and her husband Claude were out voting when the fire occurred. “The first
news we had of it was when we heard the siren, and then we saw the house in flames when we
drove into the neighborhood,” Graham said. When she approached the house, she said the
firefighters were already on the scene. “The firemen told us to stay back, there was nothing we
could do,” she said. Agnes Sweeney, who police said, was not at home at the time of the fire,
occupied the other section of the house. She and her two children were not available for comment
Tuesday night. A neighbor said Sweeny might have been away in Bridgeport at the time. Izzy
Esposito, the Woodbury Heights landlord, who owns the property, said he stopped by at 7 p.m. to
collect rent, but Sweeny was apparently not home. He said he bought the house about 10 years
ago. Of the fire, he noted, “It’s a shame because we just got done remodeling the place.” County
fire officials on the scene Tuesday night said they had no idea as to the cause of the blaze, but that
an investigation would be under way as soon as possible. According to Billingsport Fire Chief
David Raso, the fire was the worst one he could remember in Paulsboro in the last two years.
Charlene Spencer, a neighbor who lives across Cox St. at 200 W. Monroe St. said she called the
911 emergency number for the fire company about 9 p.m., but that the first fire trucks arrived a
half hour later. “I wasn’t looking at a watch, but it was about 9:30 when the firemen got there,”
she said. Spencer also said when she first noticed the fire it was already shooting out the front
door. The Gloucester County Communications Center, however, said the fire trucks arrived a few
minutes after they had received the call about 9 o’clock. Firefighters questioned on the scene were
unclear as to their exact time of arrival. Borough Fire Chief Archie Roemmich said the fire truck
from the Paulsboro station was the first to arrive on the scene. Roemmich said the house was
“fully engulfed,” when the first truck arrived. “It was fully involved even before the first firemen
arrived,” he said.
11/05/1986
ARSON SUSPECTED IN TWO FIRES, GARAGE AND HOUSE. Fire officials say arson may
be the cause of two separate fires that destroyed a duplex home on W. Monroe St. late Tuesday
night and a garage on S. Delaware St. early Wednesday morning. The first fire broke out shortly
after 9 p.m. and left three families homeless. While firefighters were preparing to leave the scene,
the second fire was called in about 1:25 a.m. When firefighters arrived at the second fire, the
garage behind a home at 1560 S. Delaware St. was engulfed in flames, fire officials said. “There is
no reason for the garage blaze to be an accidental fire,” said County Fire Marshal Art Morley.
“We’re proceeding about this investigation as if it’s an arson fire.” Morley declined to elaborate.
A crew from the Mount Royal Fire Co. was the first on the scene at the garage fire. It had been
sent to the Billingsport firehouse to cover for that company while it was battling the earlier blaze
on Monroe St. said Borough Fire Chief Archie Roemmich. Roemmich said that the family, who
owned the garage, was inside the house and had been asleep. They were awakened by the firemen.
He said no one was hurt in the blaze, but aluminum siding on the house was blackened, and
windows were shattered from the heat. The fire was under control by about 2:10 a.m., officials
said. Crews from the earlier fire and the Thorofare Fire Company joined Mt. Royal in battling the
fire. Roemmich said the wooden structure was reduced to cinders. Six cars, three on the driveway
in front of the garage, and three others in an adjoining lot also were damaged in the fire, he said.
County and Borough Fire Officials, Paulsboro police, and the county Prosecutor’s Arson office
squad are investigating both fires, said Paulsboro Fire Marshal John Carrow. Carrow said
investigators are not sure how the earlier fire on Monroe St. started, but believe it started in the left
side of the duplex. “We haven’t established the cause, because both sides of the house were
destroyed. There was nothing left,” he said. Fire officials strongly denied a neighbor’s claim that it
took firemen nearly 30 minutes to respond to the W. Monroe St fire. Records at the
Communication Center showed the fire was called in at 9:04 p.m. By 9:05, the first fire engine left
the Paulsboro Firehouse, and by 9:08, the first fire apparatus left the Billingsport station. The
records do not indicate what time the Paulsboro company arrived, but the station is only a few
minutes away from the fire scene. The Billingsport truck arrived at 9:12. “According to our
records, the fire companies responded within minutes,” said Robert Miller, who heads the
communications center.
11/14/1986
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FIRE KINDLED FOR WARMTH GUTS APARTMENT. A homeless woman apparently
touched off a fire that gutted a vacant borough apartment building Friday night, when she burned
papers on the floor to keep warm for the night, fire officials said. The woman was not charged in
connection with the fire, according to county Fire Marshal Arthur Morley. There were no injuries
reported. The woman apparently started the fire on the second floor of the building, on W.
Washington St., then fled when the blaze went out of control, Morley said. The fire was reported
at 4:40 a.m., Borough Fire Chief Archie Roemmich said. By the time the firefighters brought the
blaze under control at about 5:50 a.m., flames had burned through the roof of the two story mason
and wood frame structure, he said. Fighting the fire were crews from Billingsport, Paulsboro and
Gibbstown Fire Companies.
1987
3/12/1987
FIRE DAMAGES PAULSBORO HOME. Fire broke out in the kitchen of a home on Thomson
Avenue early Thursday evening. Fire officials said no one was injured in the fire, which started
accidentally in a mishap with a frying pan. Damage was confined to the kitchen and living room,
officials said. The house is home to Maryann Brooks and her two daughters. About 50 firefighters
from the Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire companies responded to the fire and had it
under control within an hour.
4/30/1987
FIRE ON HOFFMAN AVENUE. A child playing with a lighter set a mattress on fire in her
bedroom and caused extensive damage to the rest of the house. When the police and fire trucks
arrived at 225 Hoffman Avenue, flames were coming from the front of the house. The bedroom
was gutted and the rest of the house suffered smoke and water damage.
6/22/1987
LEAKING DRUM, DANGER FOR FIREMEN. Firefighters, battling a trash fire at a storage
yard for the general contractor on the Interstate 295 widening project, found a leaking 55-gallon
drum of denatured alcohol next to the fire Monday afternoon. “The drum was a danger to the
firefighters on the scene,” said Glenn Roemmich, chief of the Billingsport Fire Co., one of the 2
companies that fought the blaze in a large pile of trash and discovered the drum. The drum was set
against a fence enclosing a construction storage area, and the fire, which broke out at 3:53 p.m.,
was burning on a 15-foot-long, seven-foot-high pile of wood, old traffic cones and other debris on
the other side, Roemmich said. The drum was punctured, and about a gallon of its contents leaked
onto the ground, though not enough to cause a groundwater contamination problem, said Steve
Weber of the County Health Department, which was called in to investigate the spill. The drum
belonged to Cruz Construction Co., which used the alcohol for cleaning tar from equipment. The
drum was removed to the enclosure and covered after the fire was extinguished by order of the
health inspector, Roemmich said. No fines were issued to the construction company.
8/29/1987
MAN CHARGED WITH ARSON AT DUPLEX. A 35-year-old borough man has been charged
with arson in connection with a fire, which partially destroyed a two story E. Jefferson St. duplex
Friday morning. It took more than 45 firefighters to control the fire. Timothy Andrews, who lived
at the house, was arrested by Paulsboro police about 2 ½ hours after the fire was brought under
control. He was placed in the Gloucester County Jail, Woodbury, in default of $15,000 bail
pending a hearing. The blaze apparently started about 11 a.m. and was brought under control by
12:36 p.m. by five fire companies and almost 50 firefighters, according to Billingsport Fire Chief
Glenn Roemmich. No one was injured. Roemmich said the Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown,
East Greenwich and Thorofare fire companies battled the blaze, which gutted the one side of the
duplex, wrecked the attic on the other side and left the downstairs rooms with water and smoke
damage. According to police, Robert Sweet, who was renting one side of the duplex, allegedly
owed money to the buildings apparent owner, Charlotte Bockius, Andrews’ mother. Bockius lived
on the other side of the house with Andrews and a sister Donna. Police said Andrews claimed he
set fire to Sweet’s side of the duplex because of the money owed to his mother. Roemmich said
some sort of flammable material was used to start the fire, though he was unaware of the exact
substance. He said he had no figures on total property damage, but noted no surrounding
properties were affected. “The heat of the fire, plus the humidity, made it difficult to fight the
fire,” Roemmich said.
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9/03/1987
TRUCK DESTROYED BY FIRE. A truck was destroyed by fire at the Inland Terminal on N.
Commerce Street at 4:30 p.m. The owner noticed smoke coming from behind the seat and then the
curtain for the sleeper section burst into flames. The driver grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to
put out the blaze. Unable to extinguish the fire, he called for the fire companies. When the
Paulsboro and Billingsport companies arrived, the truck was totally involved with fire. The cause
of the fire was a heater that was behind the driver’s seat.
9/05/1987
KITCHEN FIRE DAMAGES HOME. A smoky fire that apparently started on a kitchen stove
burned out part of a kitchen at an E. Madison St. residence on Saturday night. No injuries were
reported, fire officials said. About 35 firefighters from the Billingsport and Paulsboro fire
companies wore air packs to fight the blaze, which broke out shortly before 9:40 p.m., said
Borough Fire Chief Archie Roemmich. The flames burned out part of the kitchen and the kitchen
ceiling. While the flames were extinguished quickly, firefighters waited to make sure no fire was
smoldering, Roemmich said. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, Roemmich
said he believed it was accidental.
9/18/1987
FIRE IN PAULSBORO MANOR. The fire companies were called out at 4:40 p.m. to the
Paulsboro Manor to extinguish a stove fire in apartment 24-B, on Baird Avenue. The front burner
of a stove was left on and a pan of grease caught fire. The owner was at the apartment next door
and thought that she had turned the burner off. Damage was contained to the stove. Also some of
the kitchen cabinets were scorched.
10/27/1987
INVALID WOMAN, CARETAKER FLEE AS BLAZE HITS HOUSE. Ada Rosen stood
outside her Thomson Avenue house Tuesday, clutching a teddy bear and a picture frame as
firemen fought a blaze there, which gutted two rooms and caused fire and smoke damage to the
rest of the house. The fire burned for nearly two hours. No one was hurt. The fire started in a
bedroom on the front left side of the house, according to Glenn Roemmich, Chief of the
Billingsport Fire Co. The fire was confined to a bedroom and an adjoining den, he said. County
Fire Marshal, Arthur Morley, said he and Paulsboro Fire Marshal, John Carrow, determined that
the blaze was accidental, apparently caused by an electric blanket. Rosen’s bed ridden mother,
Mary Dichter, and her caretaker, Evelyn Butler, were in the house when the fire started. Suzanne
McErlain of the Paulsboro Ambulance Corps said that Butler moved Dichter out of the house in a
wheelchair when they noticed the fire. “She (Butler) said that she first saw the kitchen lights
flicker, then saw smoke and flames coming out of the bedroom. They got out before the house
filled with smoke,” McErlain said. Rosen, a longtime teacher at the Paulsboro High School, was
called out of the school to the scene. Rosen’s next-door neighbor Otto Hurst said he was cleaning
his windows when he saw flames pouring out of the front right window of Rosen’s house. “I heard
a noise, then smelled something. I looked out and saw leaping flames coming out of the window,”
he said. He added that his son, who was home at the time, saw the fire and was already calling the
fire department. “I think it blew the air conditioner out of a window, it made so much of a noise,”
said Hurst. The Billingsport, Paulsboro and Gibbstown fire companies responded to the call
Tuesday afternoon along with the Paulsboro ambulance squad.
10/28/1987
CAR ACCIDENT RESULTS IN DEATH. The driver of a car died as a result of injuries from a
one car crash on Mantua Avenue. The driver lost control of the car coming around the bend on
Mantua Avenue near 7th Street on the rain soaked road. The car hit a tree in front of 641 Mantua
Avenue after skidding on some leaves according to the passenger in the car. Desiree Russian was
pronounced dead at the scene by the medical examiner. She was partially thrown out of the vehicle
and had suffered from massive head trauma. The passenger, Valerie Herndon, was able to climb
out of the car on her own. She was taken to the hospital with cuts and bruises. The fire companies
were called out to assist with the accident scene.
10/31/1987
PAULSBORO HOUSE ON FIRE. A fire of undetermined origin damaged a home at 520
Beacon Avenue late Saturday night, reportedley causing a lot of interior smoke and heat damage.
Firefighters said that despite an early report that people were trapped inside the house, no one was
at home when the fire broke out. A neighbor, Mike Licciardello, who saw flames through his
living room window, called in the fire. Crews from Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire
companies responded to the fire call. The firefighters forced open the locked front door and started
an aggressive interior attack. The fire was contained to the front room. The entire dwelling
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suffered heavy smoke and heat damage throughout. The investigators were looking a possible
cause as a discarded cigarette in the couch of the living room. There were no injuries.
1988
2/07/1988
POLICE & FIREMEN SAVE FOUR. Two borough policemen rescued three residents of a N.
Delaware Street rooming house and three firemen rescued another critically injured man from a
smoky fire that engulfed much of the homes second floor Sunday afternoon. The injured man,
John Munyan, 66, suffered burns to his lungs from inhaling hot gases and was admitted in critical
condition to the burn unit of Crozier-Chester Medical Center, Upland, Pa., a hospital spokesman
said. Munyon was carried out of the burning house at 1108 N. Delaware Street by three
firefighters, Gary Stevenson of the Paulsboro Fire Company and Lee McGill and Mike Mogar,
both of the Gibbstown Fire Company. Dennis Morina and Ken Ridinger of the Paulsboro Police
also assisted said County Fire Marshal Art Morley. Morina and Ridinger also helped three other
men, Edward McDermott, Vance Joyce and Arthur Hughes, escape from the burning building.
McDermott was on the second floor, while Joyce and Hughes were on the first floor, police said.
Two other men, Tyrone Sharper and George Norton, escaped from the house by themselves.
Another resident was away when the fire broke out. Norton received minor injuries to his hand. He
was treated at a hospital and released. The fire broke out in McDermott’s second floor room while
he allegedly was smoking in bed. The fire quickly spread along the underside of the roof to the
rear, according to Morley. Ridinger spotted the fire shortly before 3:34 p.m. while driving by the
house and notified his dispatcher, Carl Clement, who called the Communications Center, who in
turn dispatched the fire companies to the scene. Ridinger and Morina, who was across the street at
the Police Station, rushed to the building where Norton was standing outside and pointing. They
went in and escorted out Joyce and Hughes, who had been watching TV with Sharper in the firstfloor room. They then tried crawling up the staircase to the second floor, which was full of smoke.
Burning chunks of wood fell on them while they moved around on the second floor. They found
McDermott in his room and got him outside, police said. The officers then tried to go back up the
staircase for Munyan, but were daunted by smoke and flames. The three firefighters used a ladder
to break through a second-floor rear window, found Munyan in the middle room he rented, carried
him to the rear and handed him out to Ridinger and Morina, who carried him down, police said.
Between 30 and 40 firefighters from the Billingsport, Paulsboro and Gibbstown fire companies
brought the fire under control by 3:50 p.m. It was put out by 4:00 p.m., and firefighters remained
on the scene until 4:35 p.m. Most of the fire was contained to McDermott’s room, although flames
spread along the crown of the ceiling to the other second-floor rooms. The rest of the house
sustained smoke and water damage. David Green of Gibbstown owns the house.
1989
3/20/1989
FOUR TEENS ARRESTED IN SUSPECTED ARSON. A fire allegedly set by four teen age
boys roared through a field of reeds between Mantua Avenue, Universal Lane and the Mantua
Creek Monday afternoon, sending clouds of thick black smoke into the air over the borough’s
Billingsport section and the Delaware River. The fire started on the southeast end of the roughly
four-acre parcel of wetlands near the Consumers Oil building, according to John Carrow, chief of
the Billingsport Fire Co. The fire was reported at 3:56 p.m. The four boys, all of whom live in
Paulsboro, were arrested by off duty Paulsboro police officer Thomas Sullivan, who lives nearby,
after he allegedly saw them running from the scene immediately after the fire broke out, police
said. Sullivan chased, captured and arrested the four boys, three of whom are 14 years old. One is
thirteen. They were reportedly covered with soot and ashes when they were arrested. They were
turned over to borough police for questioning, police said. By 4:30 p.m., a wall of orange flames,
driven by 25 mph winds, was roaring up the parcel along the Mantua Creek toward Universal
Lane and the BP Oil Co., Paulsboro Chemical and Paulsboro Packaging facilities, Carrow said.
Fire fighters used road flares to start backfires along a Conrail spur between the field and Mantua
Avenue and along a ditch parallel to Universal Lane to prevent the flames from jumping the tracks
and setting nearby houses on fire. The fire fighters also used hoses from pumpers and supporting
water tank trucks to prevent the flames from jumping to brush on the other side of the railroad
tracks. A Conrail locomotive passed the flames to move some chemical tank cars out of the fire’s
reach. Hundreds of residents watched the flames consume the eight foot high reeds, leaving
blackened earth behind. Some video taped or photographed the flames. The backfires stopped the
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main fire’s march forward, but the flames reversed themselves and moved back southward,
eventually burning themselves out as the winds slowed their southerly advance. “We contained it
pretty well, and it burned itself out at the end. There are still some reeds left, enough for another
fire, I’m sorry to say,” Carrow said. About 14 trucks and more than 50 fire fighters from the
Billingsport, Paulsboro, Gibbstown, Repaupo and Thorofare fire companies fought the fires. The
last fire units left the scene at 6:21 p.m.
7/02/1989
VACANT HOUSE AGAIN SITE OF SUSPICIOUS FIRE. The latest in a series of suspicious
fires at a vacant house near Paulsboro High School was reported at 1:37 p.m. yesterday, officials
said. The fire in the two-story, wood frame dwelling at 36 Capitol Street was brought under
control by the Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire companies at 2:08 p.m., according to the
county emergency dispatcher. The rear of the house, which abuts the high school grounds,
suffered extensive fire, smoke and water damage according to Paulsboro fire officials. In the two
years since the house has been vacant, there have been numerous fires, all of suspicious origin,
according to Gloucester County Fire Marshal Arthur Morley. The house is pretty much finished
according to Battalion Chief John Carrow of the Billingsport Fire Company.
7/19/1989
COUNCIL OKAYS CONTRACT FOR $173,000 FIRETRUCK. The borough council Tuesday
night approved a contract for a new fire truck at a cost of $173,000. The council awarded the
contract for the new fire truck to James B. Hunt Manufacturing Co. of Trenton, the only bidder.
The contract amount is $173,448. Council President James Sabetta said that is a little under the
amount budgeted. While the borough had stipulated that the truck be delivered within 180 days,
members voted to allow Hunt 220 days to deliver the new truck which will be a 1989 E-One.
Sabetta said if the firm misses that deadline, it will be penalized $100 per day. The truck will be
delivered to the Paulsboro Fire Company #1.
10/05/1989
FIRE DAMAGES 2 STORY HOME IN PAULSBORO. A fire that broke out in an upstairs
hallway and bathroom Thursday night damaged a two-story house on West Washington Street. No
one was injured in the blaze police said. It was reported that members of the family that lived were
in the wood frame, aluminum sided dwelling when the fire was discovered. But, Paulsboro police
officer Frank Lynch said no one was inside when he searched through the house. The fire is
believed to have started in an upstairs hallway or bathroom, said Lynch. The flames damaged at
least two rooms on the second floor, but firefighters were able to prevent extensive fire damage in
the rest of the house. Firefighters from Paulsboro, Billingsport, Bridgeport, Gibbstown and
Woodbury fire companies were dispatched to the scene at 10:19 p.m. The fire was declared under
control shortly after 11 p.m.
10/07/1989
FIREMEN'S PARADE HELD. The Billingsport Fire Association held a parade in honor of their
85th Anniversary. Over 45 fire companies attended the parade.
12/05/1989
PAULSBORO REPORTS ANOTHER SUSPECT FIRE. A fire of suspicious origin, the fifth
in just over a month, was extinguished early Tuesday near Vanneman Boulevard, according to the
police. Officer Frank Grogan saw “an orange glow in the sky” while on routine patrol at 12:54
a.m., police said, and discovered a detached garage on fire in the rear yard of an 81-year-ols
woman’s residence on Vanneman Boulevard. The fire was limited to the rear wall, extending into
the roof, police said. Listed as “aggravated arson,” this blaze was the 5 th suspicious fire in that area
since October 30th, including fires set on the 31st, November 14th and 19th, according to a police
report. The Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies were dispatched to the fire shortly before 1
a.m., and remained at the scene until 3:13 a.m. An investigation is continuing into the fires.
1990
7/27/1990
ATTIC FIRE DAMAGES TWO HOMES, WOMAN HURT. A three-alarm fire damaged two
houses on Mantua Avenue yesterday, injuring one elderly woman who was bedridden, authorities
said. The fire started in the attic of 608 Mantua Avenue about 1:35 p.m. and spread to the attic of
610 Mantua Avenue, Paulsboro police said. The fire was extinguished within 45 minutes. Police
Sgt. Bruce Augustino, Patrolman Tom Melfe and a neighbor, Andrea Gattuso, rescued the injured
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woman, Helen Whirlow from the house. The fire appeared to have started in the wiring system of
the 608 house, Paulsboro Fire Chief John Carrow said. Whirlow, who uses a wheelchair, was
taken to Underwood Hospital, Woodbury, for treatment but did not appear to be seriously hurt,
Carrow said. There were no other injuries. “It was a good save, a good response out of our mutual
aid companies, along with the police department and the citizens in the neighborhood. A Conrail
train moving through the center of town delayed the arrival of Paulsboro firefighters for five
minutes, Carrow said. “Luckily, the firemen arrived in time to save the house,” said Carrow.
12/10/1990
ARSON SUSPECTED IN PAULSBORO BRUSH FIRE. Trains with unknown contents were
moved as a precautionary measure during a large brush fire in wetlands near DuPont Avenue on
Monday. Billingsport and Paulsboro firefighters were called at 4:21 PM to the scene bounded by
Mantua Avenue, Universal Road and the Mantua Creek. They remained until 7:55 p.m. “That’s a
swampy area, and when it catches on fire, once or twice a year, the firemen basically let it burn
itself out. There’s nothing back there,” said a Paulsboro police spokesperson. He said the fire was
deliberately set and that a juvenile suspect is in custody.
1991
1/18/1991
INSTALLATION CEREMONIES HELD FOR 1991. Installation ceremonies were held at the
Paulsboro firehouse for both Fire Companies and the Ambulance squad. The installation was
followed by a dinner dance. Jack Suiter, active fireman and past Borough Fire Chief, acted as
emcee for the affair. Mayor John Burzichelli administered the oath of office to the incoming
officers. A token of appreciation and a grateful thanks for a job well done was given to past
officers Steve DeMora, Larry Moran Jr. and Delbert Streeper of the Paulsboro Fire Company.
Billingsport officers remained the same as last year. Incoming Battalion Chiefs Al Giampola, for
Paulsboro, and Jim Lutz, for Billingsport, presented their line officers with identification caps. The
Paulsboro Ladies Auxiliary presented a check to the Paulsboro firemen to help towards the
building expenses. The highlight of the evening was a plaque presented to Mary Bryant for 50
years of service with the auxiliary. Mary received a standing salute from the 150 guests present at
the affair. The local merchants helped make this a special night for all the volunteers and their
guests by donating gifts to be given out as door prizes. The number of prizes awarded by the
merchants showed these men and women the depths of the community’s appreciation for the fine
lob that they do.
2/07/1991
TEEN CHARGED WITH ARSON IN TIRE FIRE. A trailer full of tires on an open lot in
Paulsboro was set afire Wednesday afternoon, causing a thick black cloud of smoke over the 400
block of North Delaware St. A 13 year old borough youth was charged with arson, with charges
possible against two other children, said Sgt. Ken Ridinger. The fire, started with matches,
engulfed an abandoned 40-foot trailer that was filled with old tires. The identity of the trailer
owner and property owner is under investigation. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies
responded to the fire at 4:09 p.m. and had the blaze under control by 6:06 p.m., according to
county dispatch.
2/11/1991
RESCUE WORKERS RUSH TO SAVE “CARTOON DOLL.” A marine rescue operation in
the Mantua Creek Monday night saved not a floating body or a distressed boater, but rather a life
size Woody Woodpecker replica. The Thorofare and Paulsboro fire companies rescue boats were
dispatched to the scene off Crown Point Road at 5:54 PM, after a woman called police. Crews
were on the scene for about an hour before realizing the object of their efforts was a cartoon
character replica, a police dispatcher said.
2/20/1991
TWENTY-EIGHT BRUSH FIRES, PAULSBORO ASKS FOR HELP. Borough officials are
asking for help in stopping a rash of brush fires, 28 of which have been reported in recent months.
“Anyone seeing any suspicious activity, please call the police,” said Councilman Robert
Damminger, Director of Public Safety for the borough. Damminger said the fires have been more
of a nuisance than a danger, but that the sheer number of fires was of concern.
3/24/1991
MOBIL PINPOINTS CAUSE OF FIRE AND BLAST. The cause of Saturday’s spectacular fire
blast and explosion at the Mobil Oil Corp. refinery has been traced to the failure of a joint on the
gasoline production unit, officials said. Mobil spokeswoman Ida Walker said the failure of the
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“flange,” which connects the pipe and valve on the reformer unit, caused another pipe on the unit
to rupture. The reformer unit, which is involved in the processing of gasoline, ignited into flames.
Firefighters from Mobil’s internal unit were able to extinguish the blaze within 30 minutes,
Walker said. There were no reported injuries. Bright orange flames shot 50 feet into the air,
illuminating the sky Saturday night as far away Thorofare. Residents reported hearing two
explosions within a five minute span starting around 11:10 p.m. Mobil firemen, aided by
volunteers from Gibbstown, Paulsboro and Woodbury, were on hand until early Sunday morning
pouring water on the damaged unit. Walker said extra crews of workers were called in after the
explosion and fire to assess the damage and to get things back in running order. The fire has
caused some other units to stop running at full capacity, she said. “We really appreciate the
support we were given by the numerous emergency units that were on standby for Saturday’s
explosion,” Walker said. She said there was no cost figure available for the amount of damage
caused to the unit.
7/24/1991
FIRE RIPS THROUGH PAULSBORO APARTMENTS. (See Large Article Section)
7/31/1991
AGED POWER LINE CAUSES BLAZE. An aged electrical line caused a fire, which damaged
a two-story home on West Monroe Street on Wednesday when the line fused to aluminum siding
on the house and electrified the structure. The home, which belongs to assistant borough fire chief
James Lutz, sustained little fire damage and no one was home at the time of the fire, said William
Rieger, county fire marshal. One firefighter received minor injuries while battling the flames, he
said. “There was fire in several windows, but not a lot of fire damage,” Rieger said. The house was
not damaged beyond repair, he said. Firefighters from Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown,
Thorofare, Repaupo, Verga and Mt. Royal fire companies controlled the fire in about two hours,
Rieger said. The accidental fire began around 11:18 a.m. when contractors for Atlantic Electric
were removing electrical lines in the street, Rieger said. Vibrations caused an old power line
running into the house to come in contact with the building, he said. Because the wire’s insulation
had worn off, the hot line welded itself to the aluminum siding and “energized” the entire house,
the fire marshal said. The contractor reported seeing sparks at several outlets in the house and
orange glows in some windows, he said. The men disconnected the wire from the building and the
utility pole, switched off the electric meter and used a garden hose to extinguish some minor
flames in the back yard, Rieger said. “All of which helped,” he said. “I understand they also broke
down the front door to get the family dog out.” Borough Fire Chief John Carrow said he and the
Lutz family “would like to thank everyone involved,” including Monroe Street residents, Town
Pizzeria, who supplied food and beverages to the firefighters, and all the fire departments
involved. “Everyone was just great,” Carrow said.
1992
1/08/1992
SIPHONED GAS IGNITES GARAGE. A Greenwich Avenue resident accidentally set his
garage on fire Friday night while attempting to siphon gas from his own motorcycle. County Fire
Marshal William Rieger said that the fire occurred at 10:23 PM, when the gas being siphoned
came in contact with a kerosene heater used to heat the garage. “The resident was in the garage at
the time the fire ignited, but he ran from the garage and was not hurt,” Rieger said. Paulsboro,
Billingsport and Repaupo firefighters were dispatched and remained on the scene until 11:58 p.m.
“Fortunately there was not much damage” said Rieger. “It was more like a flash fire. The fire
companies were able to bring it under control quickly.”
3/10/1992
MAN IN WOODS WASN’T DEAD, JUST DEAD TIRED. Rescuers called to investigate the
report of a body spotted by a duck hunter here Saturday morning instead found a sleeping man
who has been living in the woods. The hunter stepped out of his boat into the wooded area
searching for a duck he’d shot, police said. He saw what he feared was a dead man partially
covered with a tarpaulin, police said. Firefighters from Paulsboro and Gibbstown responded at
10:55 a.m., prepared with boats and marine rescue equipment, because the wooded area seemed to
be accessible only by boat from the Mantua Creek, said police. “We can’t force him to leave,” said
Sullivan. “He didn’t just spend the night there. He’s been there awhile,” Sullivan said. “Were
going to find out how he gets in and keep periodic checks on him.” At about 11:35 a.m., firemen
and police found the sleeping man, whom they recognized as a 46 year old Vietnam veteran from
Paulsboro. Awakened carefully, the man said he was not sick and refused medical treatment,
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police said. Sgt. Thomas Sullivan said he doesn’t know who owns the wooded area between
Interstate 295 and South Delaware Street, or how the man manages to get there without a boat.
5/04/1992
FIRE DAMAGES PIZZERIA. A fire heavily damaged the Town Pizzeria on North Delaware
Street early Monday. County Fire Marshal Bill Rieger and the county prosecutor’s office are
investigating the fire, which is considered “suspicious,”. The fire was reported at 6:07 a.m. and
firefighters from the Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown and Repaupo fire companies brought it
under control about 53 minutes later. The blaze is thought to have begun in the area of the pizza
ovens, according to the investigators.
7/29/1992
SWEDESBORO AVENUE HOUSE DAMAGED BY FIRE. A fire gutted one room and
damaged two others at 1526 Swedesboro Avenue, behind the Paulsboro Firehouse, Wednesday
night around 11:00 p.m. Firefighters upon arriving saw flames coming from one side of the house
and a large amount of smoke emitting from others parts of the home. The living room was
completely gutted and the dining room and an upstairs bedroom also suffered from fire damage.
Other parts of the house had smoke and water damage. The Paulsboro and Billingsport firefighters
were on the scene till two a.m.
10/21/1992
W. ADAMS ST. HOUSE DESTROYED BY FIRE. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown,
Mt. Royal and Bridgeport fire companies responded to a house fire on W. Adams Street at 3:27
a.m. Wednesday. Upon arrival Fire Chief Al Giampola found heavy volume of flames and smoke
coming from the front of the house. Firefighters made entry through the side and rear doors in an
attempt to extinguish the flames on the first floor. A ladder truck was used to extinguish the fire on
the second floor as the inside steps were burned away. The unoccupied home was severely gutted
by the fire. The firefighters were at the scene until 8:25 a.m. The Paulsboro, Billingsport and
Woodbury fire departments were called back at 9:14 a.m. when the top of the structure took fire
again. They left the scene at 10:44 a.m. The county fire marshal and prosecutor’s office is
investigating the cause of the fire along with local officials.
11/04/1992
FIRE ON MANTUA AVENUE. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were dispatched
for a dwelling fire on Mantua Avenue at 8:56 p.m. on Wednesday evening and were at the scene
until 9:27 p.m.
12/31/1992
FIRE LEAVES FAMILY HOMELESS. A spliced speaker wire short-circuited near the front
door of a Billings Avenue residence Thursday, igniting a Christmas tree and sparking a blaze that
hospitalized one man and left his family homeless on New Year’s Eve. John Diamond, of 633
Billings Avenue, suffered burns to his back and cuts to his ankles after successfully rescuing his 1year-old son from the flames. Diamond fled the burning house in his underwear, carrying his son
out a first floor window. “He jumped out the window with the little baby,” said Alice Lerch, who
lives across the street. Lerch phoned for assistance when she saw flames shooting out of
Diamond’s home around 11 a.m. Diamond was transported to Underwood-Memorial Hospital in
Woodbury, where he was treated and released Thursday, a hospital spokeswoman said. His 6-yearold son, John, also safely fled the home before emergency officials arrived at the scene, Lerch
said. Diamond’s wife, Donna, was out shopping with their other son, Michael, and was not at
home when the fire broke out. The fire started when a spliced wire connecting a speaker to a
stereo system short-circuited, began to smolder and eventually set the Christmas tree on fire, said
County Fire Marshal Bill Rieger. The cause of the blaze was officially listed as an “accidental,
electrical malfunction,” he said. “They had taken wires and put them under the carpet,” said
Rieger. The wires “had been spliced and taped, and shorted out where (they were) taped.” The
bottom of the carpet had burn marks and the top didn’t, Rieger said. As a result, he suspects the
wire smoldered for a little while, got hot, and set the tree ablaze, Rieger said. Flames from the tree
then shot to the ceiling, causing the fire to spread, Rieger said. By 12:01 p.m. the fire was under
control, officials said. All that remained seemingly untouched by the fire were two decorated
bushes in the front of the house, with red bows and Christmas lights intact. Due to the heat emitted
by the flames, the vinyl siding on an adjacent house was visibly warped. That home “got pretty
lucky, considering there was a grass fire all the way to the fence,” said Borough Fire Chief Al
Giampola. The fire burned the grass between the Diamond house and the adjacent residence, but
did not spread, he noted. Rieger said that he did not find smoke detectors in the home. “It’s a heck
of a way to spend New Year’s Eve,” Giampola said. Billingsport, Paulsboro, Woodbury and
Gibbstown firefighters were in service at the scene until 2:39 p.m.
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1993
1/11/1993
GARAGE ON WOOD ST. BURNS. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown and Repaupo fire
companies responded at 12:03 a.m. to a fire in a garage on E. Wood Street. The fire is believed to
have been started by an incendiary. There was extensive damage in the garage. The firefighters
left the scene around 1:30 a.m. Both the local companies returned at 3:54 a.m. when the fire
rekindled. They stayed a second time for about 30 minutes.
2/06/1993
WORLD WAR 2 GRENADE FOUND; SOME HOMES EVACUATED. Several homes in
500 block of Beacon Avenue were evacuated Saturday night after an apparent World War 2 hand
grenade was discovered in one of the houses. Police said a resident was remodeling his basement
and had torn out some shelving when he discovered the grenade sitting on the cinder block
foundation. He called police at 6:54 PM, who determined that the grenade appeared to be real,
rather than a dummy or display piece, and that its actuation lever and pin were still intact, though
deteriorating. Police evacuated the house where the fragmentation type “pineapple” grenade was
found and surrounding homes within 150 feet, though some residents refused to leave, police said.
When Camden County’s bomb disposal unit was found to be unavailable, and since the grenade
was military ordnance, police said they contacted the 60th Ordnance Group at Fort Dix and asked
for a disposal team, which arrived about 8:30 p.m. The disposal team determined that the grenade
was live, police said, and they put it in an explosive container to take it back to Fort Dix for
destruction. Paramedics and a MedEvac helicopter were on standby during the removal operation.
Evacuated residents, who had spent the time at the Paulsboro firehouse, were allowed back in their
homes around 10:30 p.m., police said. They said the grenade had been in the house for several
years. (Note: The shell was from the Korean War and Fort Dix officials said the shell was live
with a firing mechanism and explosive charge intact).
2/09/1993
ARTILLERY SHELL FOUND IN PAULSBORO. An artillery shell was found in a Beacon
Avenue basement on Monday, in the same block where a hand grenade was found a few days ago.
“We cannot say if it was a live shell,” said Borough Fire Chief Alphonso Giampola. Giampola
said the “Russian shell” was found in the basement stairwell of the home of M. Licciardello. “Mrs.
Licciardello had heard about the hand grenade and thought she saw something that looked like a
shell in her basement,” said Giampola. Mrs. Licciardello notified someone from the fire company
who removed the shell from the house. The local police and fire officials stabilized the area and
contacted the ordnance department at Fort Dix. Personnel took the shell and treated it as though it
was live, Giampola said. He added that there was no injuries related to the finding and the family
remained inside the home. Although he felt the incidents were unrelated, Giampola was concerned
that the ammunition findings would spark a rash of similar discoveries. “Representatives from
Fort Dix told us that some of these articles are very unstable. They’ve been in one place for maybe
50 years and are very sensitive to change,” Giampola said. “It’s important that residents do not try
to move these articles. Just bringing a live shell from your 70 degree home outside to the 25
degree weather is very dangerous,” added Giampola. Giampola said that anyone finding
something suspicious should notify police and fire officials immediately.
6/13/1993
BOY DROWNS IN MANTUA CREEK. New Jersey State Police divers found the body of
Eugene Graves, who drowned Wednesday afternoon while swimming in the Mantua Creek,
Saturday morning. The boy’s body floated free at about 9:22 a.m. from debris around a sunken
barge about 150 yards upstream from where he was last seen shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday,
according to Paulsboro Fire Chief Al Giampola. The state police divers moving debris and
vegetation apparently freed the boy’s body and allowed him to float to the surface, Giampola said.
Emergency personnel dragged the swift moving creek for almost 5 hours Wednesday, then
returned to widen the search on Thursday and Friday, working each day until dark. Even
experienced divers had trouble at times with the current and the undertow of the creek. Graves and
a friend were swimming off a bulkhead at S. Commerce Street, near New Street, when Graves
disappeared. The large grassy field there was transformed into a command post for the next two
days with communications vehicles, fire and rescue trucks, police cars, dive team trucks and
television vans. Boats from numerous fire departments were pressed into service, along with
private boats. On Thursday, tracking dogs indicated positively in the area around two sunken
barges on the creek, and Giampola ordered divers to concentrate in that area. Within a short time,
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however, the divers had to leave the water because they couldn’t work the swift current. Giampola
said the divers had visibility of less than a foot at any time during the search effort. Sonar on an
U.S. Customs boat on Friday showed something tangled in the vegetation off the edges of the
submerged barge, Giampola said. He said the sonar defined what it saw only as something holding
air. Dogs trained to detect bodies, even through water, were used in thew search Thursday and
Friday and both days the canines indicated something had attracted their interest in the area of the
barges. The spot where the victim was recovered was in a straight line from where he was last
seen, said Giampola. On Saturday the current wasn’t bad and the divers were able to get in there
and shake some things up,” Giampola added. Giampola praised all the members of all the rescue
teams. “We got cooperation from the federal level all the way down to the local volunteers in the
area. Everybody came out and gave us 100 percent. You can’t ask for more than that,” he said.
“I’m really relieved for the family. I sympathize with them and I grieve for them,” he added.
7/25/1993
FIRE THAT RUINS HOUSE RULED AS ARSON. A fire that severely damaged an apparently
vacant house on Spruce Street early Sunday was intentionally set, officials said. Fire fighters from
the Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown and Verga companies were dispatched to the Spruce Street
house at 4:33 a.m. Sunday, while the Bridgeport, Repaupo and Thorofare fire companies were
called in to cover the other stations. Paulsboro ambulance crews, two deputy fire marshals, the
Gloucester County Fire Police, and representatives of the county Prosecutor’s Office were also on
the scene. No one was injured in the blaze. The fire was brought under control by 5:40 a.m., but
fire fighters remained on hand until 9 a.m., according to a dispatcher at the county
Communications Center. The investigators left the scene at 9:37 a.m., the dispatcher said. County
Fire Marshal Bill Rieger said fire investigators have labeled the fire as arson. Officials have no
suspects, and no arrests have been made, Rieger said. The blaze apparently began on the second
floor of the 2 ½ -story frame house, and it severely damaged the second floor and the attic, said
Deputy Fire marshal Larry Hulburt. Officials on Sunday said the home was abandoned, but
Hulburt said the investigators are still determining the status of the house. He referred additional
questions to the prosecutor’s office. The fire rekindled at 2:45 p.m. Sunday, and the Paulsboro and
Billingsport fire companies were dispatched. The fire fighters left the scene 41 minutes later.
1994
3/20/1994
ARSON THE CAUSE FOR TIRE FIRE. Investigators have ruled that arson is to blame for a
fire that destroyed more than a thousand tires at Billingsport Road and Broad Street late Monday
night. Gloucester County Fire Marshal William Rieger said they have not determined what
materials ignited the blaze. With rubber, it is hard to tell if flammable material was used to start
the fire, he said. “It’s a possibility. You just don’t put a match to a tire,” said Rieger. Rieger, the
Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office and the Paulsboro police are investigating the incident.
About 1150 tires, packed into two trucks, were engulfed in flames when crews arrived at First
Choice Tire, said Rieger. It took crews about 90 minutes to control the blaze. Investigators were
on the scene until 4:30 a.m. “Both trailers were heavily involved,” he said. No one was injured,
but the trailers, which were parked in the store’s back parking lot, were destroyed, Rieger said.
Volunteers from Paulsboro, Billingsport, Repaupo, and the Mobil Refinery responded to the fire.
5/03/1994
NEW FIRE APPARATUS IN BOROUGH. A new 1994 Saulsbury fire truck was delivered to
the Billingsport Fire Company. It will be placed into service next month.
5/30/1994
PAULSBORO MAN’S BODY RECOVERED FROM CREEK. Authorities late Monday
afternoon recovered the body of a borough man who fell off a dock and into the Mantua Creek the
night before. Borough Fire Chief Al Giampola, the incident commander, said the body of William
Grove was pulled from the creek at approximately 5:45 p.m. Monday after an extensive dragging
operation. Police put Grave’s age at 32. “Everybody loved him. He’s going to be missed more
than I could ever tell you,” said Marilyn Mustaro, a friend of Grove’s mother. Nearly 300 people
from rescue units throughout the area participated in the search effort, Giampola said. It took
nearly 50 boats dragging the creek before Grove’s body was found; about 20 yards from where it
was last seen. Giampola gave the following account of the incident: Grove and two friends had
returned to the dock late Sunday after boating on the creek all day. While on the dock, Grove
somehow lost his balance and fell into the creek. Grove’s friends dove in and managed to grab
hold of him, but strong currents prevented them from maintaining their grasp. Grove then went
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under, and his friends called for help. The Gloucester County Communications Center reported
dispatching its first units to the scene at 10:57 p.m. For about 90 minutes, Giampola said he
treated the situation like a rescue operation, going so far as calling in a state police helicopter to
help scan the creek and its banks. At about 1 a.m., he said, the operation became more recovery
oriented. “We switched to a defensive mode, if you want to call it that,” Giampola said. K-9 and
dive teams from throughout the area were called to the scene but had no success. At this time
Giampola decided to put as many boats in the water as possible. All told, he said, 44 boats ended
up dragging the creek, and less than 20 minutes after the full complement of boats began their
efforts, Grove’s body was found. Mustaro praised Grove as “everybody in the town’s friend.” She
said Grove, a Paulsboro High School graduate, was legally blind in one eye and blind in the other,
“but it never stopped him from doing anything.” Giampola had no further details on Grove, and
said he did not know whether alcohol played a role in the accident. Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, the
Paulsboro police officer investigating the incident, was not available for comment Monday night.
“I’d really like to thank all the companies that came out and participated on Memorial Day,”
Giampola said. “I think it says something about our society that everyone says is selfish.”
7/15/1994
INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE 5 FIRES MAY BE CONNECTED. Borough, county and state
investigators are looking for possible connections in four car fires and a garage fire here early
Friday. Firefighters were first dispatched for a smoke investigation on Buck Street at 2:44 a.m.
Friday and found two cars and a garage on fire, according to Gloucester County Fire Marshal
William Rieger. At about 2:52 a.m., the fire companies were dispatched to East Broad Street for
another vehicle. Later at 4:25 a.m., another car fire was reported on S. Delaware Street, he said.
The two cars and garage behind the Buck Street dwelling were totaled, but the fire caused no
damage to the dwelling itself, said Rieger. The inside of the car that burned on Broad Street
behind Le Laundromat had minor damage. However, major damage was done to the passenger
compartment of the car in a residential driveway on Delaware Street, said Rieger. All the fires
appeared to be arson, he said. His office, the borough police department and the New Jersey State
Police Arson Unit are investigating and examining the possibility that the fires are connected.
Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire companies and the Gloucester County Fire Police were
at the scenes of the fires.
9/17/1994
BLAZE DESTROYS TWO HOMES. In Paulsboro, a fire that started in an electrical outlet at
120 W. Jessup Street rendered that house “unlivable”, authorities said. Paulsboro, Billingsport and
Gibbstown fire companies responded to the fire at 6:13 p.m. Officials said the family that lived in
the house rented it. The house had to be boarded up after the fire was put out. County Fire Marshal
Bill Rieger also responded to the fire.
9/25/1994
WOMAN DROWNS IN MANTUA CREEK. Rescue crews from three counties scoured the
Mantua Creek here Sunday and found the third person in the past 18 months who has drowned in
the dangerous waters. From around 3:15 a.m. until early Sunday evening, boats from 43 fire and
rescue companies from Gloucester, Salem and Camden counties dragged the Mantua Creek near
the 1500 block of S. Commerce Street searching for Sharon Dixon, 31, of Mantua Avenue,
Paulsboro, who entered the water shortly before 3 a.m., according to officials at the scene. Dixon’s
body was pulled from the creek at 5:48 p.m. Sunday by rescue crews from Brooklawn, said
Paulsboro Lt. Kenneth Ridinger, acting chief. Dixon had recently moved to the borough from
National Park, he said. Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, the investigating officer, said Dixon was with a 27year-old Paulsboro man who lives near the search area when the incident occurred. The identity of
the man, who was questioned and released, has not been disclosed, he said. “They were hanging
out on the bulkhead,” said Sullivan, who had been at the scene since before dawn. “It is not clear
whether she jumped or fell in.” Sullivan said Dixon somehow pulled the man into the creek with
her, but he was somehow able to save himself. “When he climbed out of the water, he didn’t here
or see her anymore,” said Sullivan. The man had reported that he and Dixon were drinking before
they arrived at the creek but whether alcohol was a factor has not been determined, he said.
Ridinger said the two people were socializing with friends at a S. Delaware St. residence before
making their way towards the creek. “Circumstances surrounding this incident are still under
investigation,” he said. Dixon’s body was taken to Underwood-Memorial Hospital, Woodbury,
and an autopsy is scheduled to take place in the near future, said Ridinger. The incident occurred
on private property where many “no trespassing” signs was posted. More than 30 divers began
looking for Dixon around 5 a.m. but by 2:40 p.m., were unable to stay in the water because of the
powerful current, said Mayor James Sabetta. Divers from Malaga, the New Jersey State Police and
the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the scene. Even though the divers wore an additional 40
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pounds of weight, Sabetta said they were unable to reach the bottom of the creek. During the
afternoon, neighborhood residents looked on as the boats trolled up and down the creek while
Dixon’s friends and family members sat on the banks of the creek with rescue crews. In May,
crews pulled the body of Paulsboro resident William Grove, 32, from the unsafe waters. And in
June 1993, the body of 12-year-old Eugene Graves was pulled from the creek. The Paulsboro
Police and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating the incident.
10/11/1994
BLAZE RIPS THROUGH HOUSE. Several Gloucester County fire companies were called to
combat a fire that devastated a dwelling here early Tuesday morning. Seven fire companies
responded to the fire at a West Jefferson Street home, which had been divided into three
apartments. Six residents lived in the building, but no injuries were reported, said County Fire
Marshal Bill Rieger. Rieger said the fire was started accidentally. The fire was so severe enough,
however, to cause considerable damage to the building. He said the building’s residents are no
longer staying there. “The house is unlivable,” Rieger said. Apparently, the fire began in the
kitchen late Monday night and had been spotted by a resident, who appeared to have put it out
with a hand-held extinguisher. Reiger said the fire apparently smoldered within the building's
walls for hours before becoming visible again. Fire departments were dispatched Tuesday morning
at 1:41 a.m. and were in service until 6:16 a.m. A Gloucester County Communications Center
report lists the fire as being brought under control at 1:55 a.m. However, a firefighter at the
Billingsport Fire Company, in Paulsboro, said the fire flared up again and was not fully
extinguished until about 3 a.m. Thorofare, Repaupo, Billingsport, Paulsboro, Woolwich, East
Greenwich and Gibbstown fire companies responded to the fire.
12/31/1994
FIVE TANK CARS DERAILED. Conrail officials say it will take a few days to determine why
5 cars on one of its trains derailed near the intersection of Penn Line Road and W. Jefferson Street
early Friday morning. “There was never any serious danger and nothing leaked,” according to
Conrail spokeswoman Andrea Joust. It took more than 5 hours before all 5 cars were placed back
on the track using a crane, Joust said. The train was traveling to the local Mobil refinery, she said.
County officials determined quickly Friday morning that there was no need to evacuate local
residents, according to Sheriff James Hogan, who acts as the county’s emergency management
coordinator. Gertrude Barzac, 80, saw all of the commotion from her daughter’s home and came
out to see what happened. The Pegasus Club is also located across the street from the accident.
The parking lot there was jammed with emergency vehicles. A Mobil rescue unit was also on
location with special equipment. “It’s not as scary as it looks,” according to James Woods, senior
environmental specialist of hazardous materials. Woods was at the site all day to evaluate the
situation. Propane was the most hazardous material on the train, Woods said. One car that derailed
was filled with liquid propane and the other designed to carry the gas was empty, according to
Hogan. Woods said the space at the top of the car, not filled with propane, is dangerous if the car
fell over on its side. He said if a spark hit the right place, it could cause a fire. Propane can be
deadly because it travels to the lowest spot, Woods said. However, officials can smell it and use a
device to determine it there’s a leak, he said. If there were a propane leak, a flash fire could have
been the result. Mayor James Sabetta said it was a good thing the train’s derailment only blocked
Penn Line Road. When the train travels through the town, it blocks 3 roads, making it impossible
for emergency vehicles to get through, Sabetta said. The other two roads are Delaware Street and
Mantua Avenue. Sabetta said that’s why it’s important to start a project that would build a special
bridge for emergency vehicles to travel on when the train cuts the town in half. “If things were
handled poorly, there could have been a large problem,” Hogan said.
1995
1/04/1995
CAR OVERTURNED IN CRASH. The Paulsboro fire companies, along with the Paulsboro and
E. Greenwich ambulance squads, responded to an accident at Broad and Delaware streets in
Paulsboro on Wednesday. The rescue crews had to free a man from an overturned car. The injuries
suffered by the driver did not appear to be serious.
2/08/1995
THREE HURT IN HOUSE FIRE. Three people suffered minor burns in a house fire on S.
Delaware Street early Wednesday morning. Gloucester County Fire Marshal William Rieger said
the accidental fire began when a blanket was ignited by a hot plate being used by a teen-ager
sleeping in the living room. The teen-ager and two adults in the house suffered minor burns and
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were treated at Underwood-Memorial Hospital and released, Rieger said. The house was fully
engulfed in flames upon arrival of the fire companies. It was reported that the adults had tried to
put the fire out for at least 10 minutes before calling the fire department. One of the residents said
that when after she opened the back door to exit the house, the home sounded like it exploded
when she reached her neighbor’s house. Billingsport, Paulsboro, Repaupo and Gibbstown
firefighters responded to the scene at 2:28 a.m. and were in service until 6:33 a.m.
3/11/1995
PACKAGING PLANT CLEARED BY BOMB THREAT. Police searched the Paulsboro
Packaging Inc. property Saturday night after receiving a phone tip that a bomb may have been
planted there, a police dispatcher said. No bomb was found, though police were still searching the
grounds about two hours after the call was received, the dispatcher said. The dispatcher said she
received a call around 9:05 p.m., from a woman warning that a bomb was “going to go off in 20
minutes” under the office of the packing company. According to the dispatcher, the anonymous
caller said she was told of the bomb by a friend, but would not give any details, including any
motive for planting the bomb. Borough police were sent to the site while fire and ambulance crews
were put on standby, the dispatcher said. The County Sheriff’s office provided an officer with a
bomb sniffing dog. As an added precaution, the nearby BP refinery was advised of the situation
and told to temporarily stop truck-loading activities. Paulsboro Packaging is on Universal Road.
4/02/1995
DELAWARE STREET BUILDING DESTROYED. An early morning fire destroyed a large
dwelling that housed three apartments and a second hand store, leaving eight people homeless here
Sunday. Two families were forced from their homes on N. Delaware Street around 5:20 a.m. “The
people who were displaced basically lost everything,” said Ed Johnson, arson investigator from
the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office. “They basically got out only with the clothes on their
backs.” No one was hurt during the fire but the house, which was in a deteriorated condition, was
demolished after the blaze. Johnson said fire investigators are still searching for a cause of the fire,
which is still under investigation. He did not say the fire was arson, but said crews would be
searching the rubble for clues that would reveal how the blaze was sparked. “The two and a half
story building, that's now a pile of rubble, were going to have to take it apart piece by piece,” he
said. Johnson said while firefighters were extinguishing the blaze, the center of the building
collapsed, which made putting out the flames more difficult. He said the fire probably started on
the first floor or in the basement. Firefighters on the scene said flames and heavy smoke was
shooting out of the front of the building when they arrived at the building. The building contained
three apartments, but only two were occupied. The Faith Tabernacle Church, located next to the
fire scene, suffered some smoke damage but was otherwise not damaged by the flames.
Firefighters from Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown and Bridgeport responded to the blaze at
5:17 a.m. Investigators from Paulsboro, the County Fire Marshal’s office as well the Prosecutor’s
office were at the scene well into the afternoon.
4/14/1995
ARSON PROBED AS CAUSE IN FIRE. A blaze that damaged a two-story house here early
Friday is being investigated as arson, according to officials. The fire began around 3:06 a.m. in a
house at 5th Street and Mantua Avenue that was vacant at the time. The upper rear bedroom and
the attic were destroyed and flames took a portion of the house’s roof. Responding to the blaze
were the Billingsport, Paulsboro, Repaupo, East Greenwich, Mt. Royal and Gibbstown fire
companies. Also on location of the fire were the County Fire Marshal and a representative from
the Prosecutor’s Office.
5/08/1995
LARGE BRUSH FIRE KEPT FIRFIGHTERS BUSY. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Colonial
Manor, Thorofare, National Park and Westville fire departments responded to a large brush fire
near the Paulsboro Packaging Plant, near Universal Road, at 5:12 p.m. on Monday. Quite a few
acres burned before the firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze. No one was injured and all
the fire companies left the scene by eight o’clock that evening. The local fire companies were
called back to the scene on Tuesday at 6:30 a.m. for some brush that started burning again. The
fire was put out within 20 minutes.
6/051995
FIRE COMPANIES PARADE TOGETHER. A milestone occurred when both Fire
Associations paraded together in Springfield, Pa. They took home a 2nd place trophy in the
marching category. They would also march again together at the State Firemen's Convention in
Wildwood later in the year.
6/27/1995
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NASSAU AVE. APARTMENTS DAMAGED BY FIRE. The Paulsboro, Billingsport and
Gibbstown fire companies responded to a dwelling fire on Nassau Avenue, across from the
Billingsport School, at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Heavy smoke and fire were coming from the rear and side
of the converted apartment building when the firefighters arrived at the scene. The fire appeared to
have started in the bottom floor apartment, caused by a faulty fan. The fire was placed under
control at 7:44 p.m. and crews were at the scene until 9:20 p.m.
7/15/1995
FIRE TRUCK IS DONATED TO FD. The BP Oil Company donated a 1979 Dodge Power
Wagon to the Billingsport Fire Company. Also, the Borough of Paulsboro sold to the Billingsport
Fire Association the 1955 Mack fire truck for $1.
8/31/1995
PAULSBORO FIREMAN CHARGED FOR NOT REPORTING FIRE. A former Paulsboro
firefighter was indicted Tuesday on charges of failing to report a Hoffman Alley blaze last year.
The fireman and a friend were walking by a fire that started in a vacant home on 1014 Hoffman,
according to police Lt. Tom Sullivan. The fireman told the friend not to bother to report the fire,
Sullivan said. “He had a duty to report it and didn’t do it,” said Sullivan. Paulsboro Fire Chief
Gary Stevenson said the fireman apparently told the friend police might accuse him of starting the
fire. Sullivan said many suspicious fires were taking place in vacant homes on Hoffman. He said
authorities weren’t ruling anyone out. Stevenson said someone purposely set the fire by shoving a
gasoline soaked rag through the door and then lighting it with a match. Stevenson said the damage
was minimal. The fireman was dismissed from the Fire Company in November of 1994 after he
was charged with an unknown offence, Stevenson said.
10/02/1995
PAST AND PRESENT MEET AT FIRE COMPANY. The PVFA #1 recently received as a
gift the same fire truck they bought in 1963 for $23,000 and sold to the Ausimont Corporation in
1990 for $6,000. The members of the Fire Company plan to restore the truck to its original
condition in time for the 100-year anniversary celebration of the Fire Company in 1999.
Representatives from Ausimont contacted the Fire Company this past summer and offered the
truck to the department. Fire Chief Gary Stevenson contacted Riehl’s towing service that towed
the truck for free and the fire truck now sits in bay three of the firehouse. When the truck was sold
to Ausimont it was in excellent condition. The 32 year old truck looks to be in good condition at
first glance, but it needs a lot of work to restore it to its original condition. The truck still has less
than 20,000 miles on the odometer and the engine runs well. The transmission, however, needs an
overhaul and most of the side storage compartments are deteriorated and in need of sheet metal
replacement. The truck sat outside at Ausimont for the past five years and all the chrome fixtures
need to be stripped and re-chromed. The entire truck will be painstakingly refurbished at the
expense of the firemen. The association members plan to hold fundraising events to cover the
reconditioning expenses. “We hope to have the truck ready for the 100 th anniversary parade,” said
Chief Stevenson. “Three years may sound like plenty of time but all of our members have regular
jobs and a family to tend to also. Since we won’t be neglecting our duties at the firehouse, we will
have limited time to spend on the reconditioning.” Our biggest problem when we got the truck was
that it was filled with wasp nests. When we first opened the first side compartment, five of our
firemen were stung by wasps,” he added. One thing in the fire department’s favor is the senior
citizens that have donated their time and efforts in the restoration project. Many of them fought
fires using the same truck. “We discussed it at some of our old timers meetings and the guys are
enthusiastic about the project,” said Stevenson. The reconditioning of the fire truck is not the only
historical project undertaken by the Fire Company. At his own expense, Stevenson is compiling a
history of the Fire Company. Twice a week the chief goes to the county library and combs through
the records for articles and reports about the Fire Company. “Three generations of my family were
firemen and my grandmother saved many articles and photographs through the years.” Stevenson
hopes to organize the material into a book in time for the 100 th anniversary.
11/04/1995
SWEDESBORO AVE. HOUSE DAMAGED BY FLAMES. A house on the 1400 block of
Swedesboro Avenue suffered extensive damage when then house caught afire. Fire, apparently
started by a candle in the basement, raced up the side of the house to the second floor and the attic.
A hole was burned in the first floor living room. People had moved out of the house earlier in the
day, and it was suspected they were using a candle to see their way in the basement because of no
light down there. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were called out at 8:02 p.m. A
second alarm was sounded shortly after bringing in the Gibbstown and Repaupo fire departments.
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The fire was declared under control by nine o’clock. Bill Rieger of the Gloucester County Fire
Marshal’s office investigated the fire. The fire was ruled as accidental.
12/01/1995
FAITHFUL FIREFIGHTER FOR 50 YEARS. In the old days, Joseph E. “Matty” Mattson
could run from home to the nearby firehouse in a minute. Now at age 72, he can walk it in two
minutes. “I still put gear on and go out on fires,” said Mattson, who marks 50 years as a member
of the Paulsboro Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 this year. “It gets in your blood,” he said. “I must
have been 8 or 9 when I started going to fires with my dad. I would run for things when the men
needed something from the truck. I learned from just hanging around what to do to protect myself
in a fire.” Three decades ago, while he was captain of the company, the alarm sounded for his
most memorable fire: The firehouse burned down. “It was a 2 ½ story building with a bell tower.
The fire was causes by an electrical problem,” Mattson said. The replacement firehouse was built
on the same site, at Swedesboro and Thomson Avenues, with the salvaged bell placed out front.
To earn a living, Mattson worked 33 years at the Mobil Refinery as a pipe fitter.
1996
2/07/1996
LOCKER FIRE PROBABLY SET BY CHILDREN. Children set the fire that destroyed a bank
of built in lockers in the main hall of the old wing of the Paulsboro High School, on Wednesday
night, authorities said. Police Chief Ken Ridinger said some children were spotted on the second
floor before the fire was discovered at 9:49 PM, and that a burned book was later found in a trash
can. Gloucester County Fire Marshal William Rieger said the fire got behind the built in locker,
which had to be ripped from the walls. He said there was also water damage and damage from dry
powder fire extinguishers, which school personnel used before the firefighters arrived.
3/24/1996
HOUSE FIRE ON HEDDON AVENUE. A fire slightly damaged a bedroom on Heddon Avenue
Sunday morning around eight o’clock. The fire was under control in about 15 minutes. The fire
crews left the scene around nine o’clock.
3/29/1996
CHILD STARTS FIRE IN HOME. A young boy playing with a lighter set fire to his bed and
the ensuing fire slightly damaged his bedroom and caused smoke and water damage to other parts
of the house. The local fire companies responded to the fire alarm at 4:31 p.m. and within 15
minutes had the fire under control. The crews remained at the scene until 5:45 p.m. The
Gibbstown and Repaupo fire companies also were dispatched to the scene of the fire.
4/12/1996
SMALL TRUCK DESTROYED BY FIRE. The Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies were
called out for a commercial vehicle fire on Thomas Lane, near the old Essex Chemical plant, at
9:59 a.m. on Friday. The truck was situated in the wooded area and firefighters had to call in
tankers from East Greenwich and Repaupo fire companies for water to extinguish the fire. There
are no water hydrants in the area. The truck was severely damaged by the flames, which also set
the weeds around the vehicle on fire also. The fire was declared under control at 10:36 a.m. and
the crews were in service until 11:17 a.m.
5/27/1996
OFFICIALS’ PROBE FIRE AT ECKERD BUILDING. The fire that struck the Eckerd Drug
store construction site here Monday morning was “an incendiary” fire, according to the Gloucester
County fire marshal. Fire Marshal Bill Rieger said the fire was started in a back bathroom, which
was gutted in the blaze. He said there was smoke and heat damage around that room and a lot of
smoke throughout the building. Some of the roof deck was also damaged by fire, Rieger said.
Rieger, along with the County Prosecutor’s Office, Paulsboro Fire Marshal Dan Berth, and local
police is still investigating the fire. The building is being erected on the site of a bank that was
demolished in spite of efforts by some residents to save what they consider an architectural
treasure. The bank was torn down in February. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies
were dispatched to the fire at 2:34 a.m.
6/10/1996
SHED AND BOAT SET ABLAZE. County and borough authorities are investigating the
possibility of arson in the burning of a shed and boat in the rear of a Delaware Street residence
adjacent to the parking lot at the Paulsboro High School at 5:10 p.m. Monday. Billingsport and
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Paulsboro firefighters were at the scene. The fire was under control at 5:30 p.m. and crews were in
service until almost 7 p.m.
6/27/1996
TRASH TRUCK FIRE ON I-295. A trash truck and its contents caught fire on Interstate 295 in
West Deptford around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, tying up firefighters and traffic for several hours. The
fire brought the trash truck to a halt just north of Exit 19 on the highway, in the northbound lane.
Thorofare, Verga, Repaupo and National Park fire companies sent units to the scene. The
Gloucester County Health Department also responded because of the possibility of a health hazard
from the unknown contents of the burning garbage.
6/28/1996
BOAT SET AFIRE. Billingsport and Paulsboro firefighters were called out for a boat fire across
from Ross’s Lounge at 12:26 p.m. Friday. The fire was under control within 20 minutes.
Firefighters left the scene at 1:53 p.m. The county fire marshal’s office is investigating the fire.
7/16/1996
FIRE AT MOBIL RESEARCH. Gibbstown, Bridgeport, Paulsboro, Billingsport, Repaupo and
Thorofare firefighters responded to what was reported to be an electrical fire in the Number 9
building at Mobil Research and Development at 6:49 p.m. Tuesday. The crews were in service
until 9:30 p.m. The county fire marshal is investigating the fire.
8/01/1996
PAULSBORO COMPANIES ASSIST GIBBSTOWN. The Paulsboro, Billingsport and
Bridgeport fire companies were dispatched along with the Gibbstown Fire Company to help put
out a dwelling fire on Bailey Lane at 7:57 a.m. on Thursday. The fire caused extensive damage to
the living room of the house. The fire was brought under control at 8:59 a.m., but firefighters
remained at the scene until 11:20 a.m.
8/22/1996
FIRE DAMAGES PIZZERIA. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Repaupo and Gibbstown fire
companies responded to a building fire at Town Pizzeria, across from the Paulsboro High School.
The crews responded at 8:48 a.m. on Monday and had the fire under control by 9:26 a.m. The
units left the scene at 11:16 a.m. No one was hurt. The cause of the fire has been determined to be
a faulty electrical light fixture in the ceiling.
10/23/1996
LANDLORD JAILED AFTER ELECTRICAL FIRE. Police arrested and charged a Sewell
man Wednesday morning with having a hazardous wiring system in his rental units. James
Johnson, 23, of Tall Pines Drive was charged with not obtaining a certificate of occupancy for a
duplex containing two units, and with two counts of imminent danger to tenants after the
Paulsboro Fire Co. responded to a burning wire call at 29 W. Madison Avenue at 9:35 am.
Investigating Officer Robert Bartley said that in the duplex, currently occupied by five tenants, fire
and police officials and the borough electrical inspector discovered several instances of hazardous
wiring throughout the structure. Bartley said that when they arrived, the basement wire was no
longer burning bit it was obvious what had caused it. “Excessive faulty wiring, much of it stripped
with the copper exposed. It was a real fire hazard for the families inside the house,” Bartley noted.
“The house could have burned down at any time.”
1997
1/07/1997
JACKKNIFED TRUCK CLOSES I-295. A jackknifed truck closed down one lane of Interstate
295 yesterday afternoon. A truck out of North Bergen, jackknifed at 12:25 p.m. on I-295 in
Paulsboro. One lane of the roadway was closed while police and fire officials cleared the accident.
Some diesel fuel that had leaked from the truck also had to be cleaned up. Both local fire
companies responded to the scene along with the New Jersey State Police. The driver of the truck
only sustained minor injuries, and no other vehicles were involved in the accident.
1/26/1997
FIRE/RESCUE SQUADS NEED HELP. Instead of sitting at home watching ER on television,
why not volunteer at your local ambulance or fire company and get involved in some real-life
dramas of your own. That is the challenge officials here are encouraging young people to consider,
as the need for volunteer support increases while volunteer participation continues to decrease.
“Illness waits for no one. We may be having problems getting volunteers, but the number of
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people in need of assistance is as constant as ever," said Paulsboro Councilwoman Jean Giampola.
According to Ron Colna, president of the Paulsboro Ambulance Association, there were 998
emergency calls last year for the one Paulsboro ambulance that sometimes sits without a driver
available during the day. Both the Ambulance squad and Paulsboro Fire Department have had
difficulty staffing their all-volunteer organizations in recent years. They are sometimes so shortstaffed during weekdays that it is all but impossible to handle emergencies. Fire Chief Gary
Stevenson says that while he can rely on 25 active volunteers in the evenings and on weekends,
the weekdays are a struggle. “There are no millionaires here. Most people have to work during the
day to support themselves But there are those out there who could volunteer during the day but
don’t. People have to understand that if they want things to be better, they have to get involved.”
Mutual-aid agreements with the neighboring towns of Thorofare, East Greenwich and Gibbstown
provide for some relief, but officials are concerned that the situation may require hiring people to
work the weekday shift.
2/28/1997
FIRE AT BRIDGE BUILDING. The Thorofare, Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies
responded to a fire at the Mantua Creek Bridge tender’s building on the border between West
Deptford and Paulsboro. The fire, which started in the pump room, caused a lot of smoke damage
to the building. The investigators are looking at the pump as being the probable cause. The fire
companies were dispatched at 7:37 a.m. and had the fire under control in less than 20 minutes.
3/18/1997
FIRE AT NECKWEAR FACTORY. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown and Thorofare fire
companies responded to a fire alarm at the Logos Neckwear factory on Jessup Street at 10:24 a.m.
Tuesday. There was a fire caused by a malfunctioning heater, which filled the building up with
smoke. There was no actual fire damage. Fire crews stayed on the scene until 11:39 a.m.
ventilating the building of all the smoke.
5/20/1997
WOOD STOVE CAUSES FIRE. The Billingsport, Paulsboro, Gibbstown and Thorofare fire
companies were dispatched to a building fire along Riverview Avenue at 3:13 p.m. on Tuesday.
An unattended wood stove flared up causing some minor damage to the rear of the residence. The
crews were in service till 4:00 p.m.
6/02/1997
VACANT HOUSE BURNED TO GROUND. A vacant house on W. Adams Street, near the
corner of Penn Line Road, was burned to the ground around 6 o’clock in the morning on Monday.
The fire companies were originally dispatched to investigate smoke at 5:47 a.m. but that alarm
was quickly upgraded to a dwelling fire when police arrived to find the house fully engulfed in
flames. Firefighters, while unable to save the home from being destroyed by the flames, began to
protect the adjoining homes from the blaze. The Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire
companies brought the fire under control at 6:45 a.m. The Repaupo, Bridgeport and East
Greenwich fire departments also helped out. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the
county fire marshal’s office. The fire crews left the scene at 8:30 a.m.
6/22/1997
CAR AND GARAGE FIRE IN ONE NIGHT. The Paulsboro and Billingsport answered two
fire calls in one night on Sunday. The first call was for a car that was afire near the intersection of
w. Adams and Penn Line Road. The firefighters arrived at 1:11 a.m. to find the engine
compartment of the car fully involved. The fire was brought under control at 1:48 a.m. The cause
of the fire is to be electrical. Upon arriving back at their stations, another call came in at 2:00 a.m.
for a building fire on W. Broad Street. Fire Chief Gary Stevenson found upon his arrival on
location heavy smoke coming from a car garage belonging to Jack Suiter, of 200 W. Broad Street,
and a Paulsboro fireman. After the garage doors were opened, a small fire was found to be burning
at the base of floorboards. The fire was quickly extinguished. The fire was out in 10 minutes. The
cause of the fire is believed to have been a discarded cigarette that rolled underneath the garage
doors and caught some leaves on fire. The fire crews were in service until 3:23 a.m.
7/30/1997
HOUSE SUFFERS FIRE DAMAGE. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Woodbury, Gibbstown,
Verga, Woolwich and Bridgeport fire companies responded to a house fire on N. Delaware Street
at 1 o’clock in the afternoon. A lit cigarette that was left on the porch and rolled under apparently
started the fire between the porch floor and the front wall of the house where some insulation
caught fire in the wall and went up the side of the house. The fire extensively damaged two rooms.
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The fire was declared under control at 1:38 p.m. and crews were in service until 3:30 p.m. The
county fire marshal was called out to investigate the fire.
8/05/1997
BAD STORM CAUSE OF FIRES. Lightning from a severe storm seemed to be the cause of two
house fires here Saturday night. The first one was on Lincoln Avenue, around 10 p.m., where a
surge of electricity damaged some electrical sockets in the home. The second alarm, at 11:45 p.m.,
was for a home along Seawall Avenue where an electrical fuse box was damaged from a lightning
strike. Both the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies responded to the fire calls.
8/29/1997
FIRE AT MOBIL REFINERY. Gibbstown, Bridgeport, Paulsboro and Billingsport fire
companies were called into Mobil Oil Refinery for a building fire at the RO Pump at 2:32 p.m. on
Friday and remained in service there until 3:35 p.m. A pump had broken and fallen from its stand
and sparks from the severed wiring caused some hydrocarbons to catch fire. Although the fire was
very smoky, little damage was done. The plant firefighters extinguished the fire.
9/01/1997
FIRE AT CEDAR KNOLL APARTMENTS. Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown and Thorofare
fire companies responded to a fire in a dwelling at the Cedar Knoll Apartments at 9:08 a.m.
Monday. Upon arrival of the firefighters, it was discovered that something was left on the stove
cooking, and was burned to a crisp, which caused a lot of smoke. The firemen removed the
burning item and cleared the smoke from the house. The fire crews were in service until 9:41 a.m.
9/20/1997
HOUSE FIRE IN GIBBSTOWN. The county fire marshal is investigating a suspicious fire that
gutted a two-story house on Mt. Vernon Avenue on Saturday. Firefighters responded to the fully
involved house fire at 11:45 a.m. and were not able to be certain the house was unoccupied until
the flames were extinguished at about 1 p.m. or so, police said. Borough detectives are also
investigating the cause of the fire. The Gibbstown, Paulsboro, Billingsport, Woolwich, Bridgeport,
East Greenwich and Mt. Royal firefighters were called out for the blaze. The fire companies
responded promptly as they were all on the main street in Gibbstown for a parade.
12/11/1997
GARAGE RAZED BY FIRE. The Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire companies were
dispatched to a garage fire on Berkley Road at 3:30 a.m. on Thursday. The call was originally
thought to have been in Gibbstown, but was found to be on the Paulsboro side of Berkley Road. A
small garage was leveled by the blaze. The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated
by the local fire marshal. The fire was brought under control at 3:55 a.m. and the firefighters were
at the scene until 4:30 a.m.
12/19/1997
ABANDONED HOUSE SET AFIRE. The Paulsboro, Billingsport and Repaupo fire companies
were dispatched for a dwelling fire on E. Jefferson Street at 5:12 p.m. Friday. Firefighters arriving
found heavy smoke and fire coming from the front of the house. The fire was declared under
control within 15 minutes. Further investigation found that someone had set a pile of trash on fire
in the main room of the vacant house. Damage was confined to the front room. Crews were in
service until 6:18 p.m.
1998
1/15/1998
MINOR FIRE CLOSES PAULSBORO BANK. A fire in the fan motor of a drive through
heating unit caused the First Union Bank on E. Broad Street to be evacuated and closed for a
couple of hours on Thursday. Billingsport, Paulsboro, Gibbstown and Thorofare firefighters were
dispatched for the fire at 10:31 a.m. and were in service until 11:19 a.m. A ladder truck from
Woodbury also was called out, along with the Paulsboro Ambulance squad.
1/17/1998
ARSON SUSPECTED IN HOUSE FIRE. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown, Woodbury
and Repaupo fire companies fought a fire in a vacant home that was being remodeled. The
companies were dispatched at 3:52 a.m. Saturday when fire was discovered by a Paulsboro police
officer. The fire companies arrived to find heavy fire and smoke emitting from the rear of the 2-½story house that was converted to an upstairs and downstairs apartment. Firefighters gained entry
through the rear and side doors and extinguished the fire. The fire was burning in a kitchen area in
the rear and a room in the front of the house. The roof had to be opened up to allow for removal of
the heavy smoke. The county fire investigators found 2 different spots where the fire was set.
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Many new fixtures were found to be missing also. The fire was declared to be under control at
4:53 a.m. and the last unit did not leave the scene until 8:22 a.m.
2/06/1998
FIRE STRIKES HOUSE A SECOND TIME. A vacant home that was damaged by fire a few
weeks ago was once again the victim of an arsonist as flames heavily damaged the upper part of
the home. The house, at the corner of Penn Line and W. Adams Street, which was set afire on
January 17th, suffered extensive damage to the entire upper floor and roof area of the converted
apartment house. Flames were discovered coming from the roof when firefighters arrived to fight
the blaze at 4:38 a.m. on Friday. Firefighters entered the structure through the door leading into
the second floor apartment but had to be careful as the flames had burned holes into some areas of
the floor. A ladder truck was used for roof operations to contain the fire from going through the
roof of the unoccupied dwelling. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown, Thorofare and Repaupo
fire companies helped fight the fire. Fire investigators found a number of gasoline cans in the
house that were probably used to start the fire.
2/19/1998
HOUSE GUTTED BY FIRE, MAN LEAPS TO SAFETY. A man leaped from his porch roof
to escape from a fire that was consuming his house. The local fire companies were dispatched to a
house fire on W. Jefferson Street at 7:17 a.m. on Thursday. A resident who escaped to the first
level roof was told by fire officials to stay on the roof and not to jump, as the fire trucks were on
the way to rescue him, but he panicked and leaped into a nearby tree. He was uninjured. The fire
apparently started when the oil-fired heater in the basement exploded and sent flames from the
cellar to all parts of the house through the walls. The fire was declared under control at 8:26 a.m.
and crews remained at the scene until 10:51 a.m. The home suffered severe damage to the upper
parts of the home, and what remained will be torn down. The home belonged to Eleanor
McCormick. The county fire marshal’s office is investigating the fire. The Gibbstown, Woodbury,
Thorofare and Repaupo fire companies assisted the Paulsboro Fire Department in fighting the fire.
2/20/1998
KEROSENE HEATER CAUSES FIRE. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were
dispatched to a dwelling fire on West New Street at 6:08 p.m. Friday. A kerosene heater that was
being used to heat the living room of the home was knocked over and caught the carpet afire. The
firefighters used a booster hose to put out the fire. It was declared under control less than 10
minutes later. The crews left the scene at 6:40 p.m.
2/21/1998
FIRE IN BEDROOM DAMAGES HOME. A fire, apparently started by a space heater,
damaged an upstairs bedroom of a house at 710 Beacon Avenue. The Paulsboro and Billingsport
fire companies were called to the fire at 7:20 p.m., and upon arrival, found a large amount of
flames coming from the upstairs bedroom window in front of the house. Borough Fire Chief Gary
Stevenson sent out for a second alarm in case the fire would spread to the roof. The local
firefighters extinguished the fire in less than 15 minutes and the fire damage was contained to the
room. Other parts of the house suffered smoke and water damage. The Thorofare and Gibbstown
fire companies also responded to the fire call. There were no injuries.
2/26/1998
CREWS BATTLE BRUSH FIRE. A brush fire here that consumed reeds and grass in an area off
Dupont Avenue kept two fire companies busy for over two hours Thursday afternoon. The fire,
reported at 2:49 p.m., sent thick gray smoke hundreds of feet into the air. The smoke could be seen
as far away as Glassboro before the fire was extinguished at 5:08 p.m. Paulsboro and Billingsport
fire crews along with the Paulsboro and West Deptford ambulance squads responded to the call.
3/14/1998
FIRE AT PAULSBORO MANOR. Both fire companies were dispatched to a fire in an
apartment at the Paulsboro Manor off of Baird Avenue on Saturday. The blaze gutted a bathroom
and caused smoke and water damage to other parts of the house. The firefighters were called out at
8 p.m. and had the fire under control about 30 minutes later. A lit candle in the bathroom is
believed to have been the cause of the fire.
8/04/1998
CAR SET AFIRE. A station wagon was fully engulfed in flames when the local fire companies
arrived to put it out in the parking lot next to the Paulsboro Jeweler’s on Delaware Street. The
firefighters were dispatched at 21:22 p.m., and had the fire out within 15 minutes. A juvenile was
being sought in connection with the fire. Crews left the scene at 22:11 p.m.
8/20/1998
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GREASE ON STOVE CAUSES FIRE. A buildup of grease in a stove was the cause of a fire at
1101 Spruce Street. The fire companies were dispatched at 4 p.m. and shortly had the fire
extinguished. The stove and kitchen cabinets suffered some minor damage. There was smoke
throughout the house. After ventilating the house the firemen returned to their headquarters by
4:30 p.m. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown and Thorofare fire companies responded.
8/21/1998
FIRE AT CEDAR KNOLL APARTMENTS. A fire, apparently started by a child playing with
a lighter, caused severe damage to one room of an apartment at the Cedar Knoll Apartment
complex on Berkley Road. The Paulsboro, Billingsport, Thorofare and Gibbstown fire companies
were dispatched to the fire at Apt. 15-B, around 8:26 a.m. The fire was confined to the one
bedroom. The rest of the apartment suffered water and smoke damage. The local fire companies
returned to the scene later in the day to extinguish a mattress fire.
8/23/1998
CAR FIRE RULED ARSON. The local fire officials ruled a fire that destroyed a small car
behind a home on the 200 block of W. Broad Street as arson. The car was fully enveloped in
flames when the firefighters arrived to put the blaze out at 4:49 a.m. The crews remained on the
scene till 6:20 a.m.
8/25/1998
TRASH TRUCK FIRE. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were dispatched to a fire
in a trash truck on Hoffman Avenue shortly before 8 o’clock in the morning. The firefighters had
to pour water on the collected contents of the truck to extinguish the stubborn fire. The blaze was
put out after about a half-hours work.
8/25/1998
TRUCK CRASH/FIRE ON I-295. A truck driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed through
the barrier separating the north and southbound lanes of Interstate 295 near exit 21 in West
Deptford. He was pulled from the wreckage just before his truck burst into flames. The driver
suffered a head laceration and some minor burns. He was taken to the Underwood-Memorial
Hospital in Woodbury. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were the first to arrive on
the scene, as they were already out on a brush fire call near the St. John’s School in Paulsboro,
when they were dispatched to the accident. The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes. Fire was
seen coming from under the road as fuel from the gas tanks was spilling down the highway. The
truck, which belonged to Chemical Lehman, in Bridgeport, was not pulling a trailer at the time of
the accident. Traffic was tied up for almost 2 hours on the highway. No other vehicles were
involved. The accident happened around 2:30 p.m. and the road was not opened up till 6:30 p.m.
Other fire companies responding were Thorofare, Gibbstown, Verga and Greenfields.
9/07/1998
TRUCK SPILLS GAS AT TERMINAL. A truck loading gasoline at the Mobil Terminal on
Clonmell Road overflowed its tanks causing gasoline to run out of the terminal and down N.
Delaware Street. Both the Gibbstown and Paulsboro fire departments were called to the scene as a
precaution. Most of the spill was contained or had evaporated. The county health inspector was
called in to check the sewer systems leading to the Mantua Creek and deemed that they were okay.
The spill happened at about 23:00 The emergency crews dammed up around the storm sewers so
no more gas could run into them. A vacuum truck from the Mobil Refinery sucked up the
remaining gas in the streets. The last fire and safety crews left the scene at 1 a.m.
11/06/1998
CAR BURNS UP ON BROAD STREET. A car parked in front of Feo’s Auto Parts store, on
West Broad Street, was totaled by flames when it caught afire at 15:25 p.m. Firefighters from
Paulsboro and Billingsport had the fire out in 15 minutes. The fire is believed to have started in the
engine compartment of the vehicle. Firefighters were back at their stations by 4 p.m.
12/14/1998
TRUCK ROLLS OVER ON I-295. A tractor-trailer flipped over on its side near Exit 18-B on
Interstate 295, in Paulsboro, at 3:15 p.m. Both local fire companies were called. The firefighters
applied oil-dry around the vehicle to contain the fuel oil from its saddle tanks from leaking all over
the highway. The driver was not hurt. The truck was finally righted up at 20:30 with the help of a
crane and some air bags.
12/25/1998
TWO GARAGE FIRES IN GIBBSTOWN. The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies went
to the aid of the Gibbstown Fire Department when fire struck a garage on Christmas Eve and to
another garage fire on Christmas Day. The first fire happened to a garage in the rear of a home at
611 Tieta Place, near Funari’s Supermarket, off of Harmony Road. The fire destroyed the garage
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and is believed to have been started by a wood stove inside the building. The second fire occurred
on Christmas Day in a garage at 129 Marshall Avenue, off of Berkley Road. Severe damage was
sustained to the brick building as well as to the car inside. The cause of the fire is unknown.
1999
1/29/1999
FIRE IN OLD TRAILER. A fire was started in an abandoned trailer behind the old Hubers
Pontiac building on West Broad Street. The fire was extinguished with no damage being done.
2/19/1999
STOVE FIRE ON SPRUCE STREET. Both fire companies responded to a stove that was on
fire at 1102 Spruce Street, the home of Leon McCormick. A pan of oil on the stove ignited. The
fire slightly damaged the cabinets near the stove.
3/09/1999
FIRE AT LOUDENSLAGER SCHOOL. The Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fire
companies were called out for a fire at the Loudenslager School. Workman who are building an
addition to the school caught some wire and insulation on fire when they were cutting through a
roof. The workers extinguished the fire themselves before the firemen arrived. The fire fighters
had to set up some ventilation fans to get rid of the smoke, which worked its way through the first
floor of both the new and old parts of the school. The fire companies were dispatched at 2:41 p.m.
and were clear from the incident by 3:10 p.m.
3/27/1999
LOCAL FIRE COMPANIES ASSIST SWEDESBORO. Both Billingsport and Paulsboro fire
companies were called into Swedesboro to help them fight a large house fire. The Billingsport
Company served as a “FAST” team, while the Paulsboro Company assisted in filling other fire
trucks with water. The companies were dispatched just after midnight and did not return to their
respective stations until almost 5 a.m.
4/01/1999
FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED FOR SEVERE MVA. The Paulsboro FD was called out just
after midnight for a MVA with fire. A vehicle slammed into the embankment on the bridge. The
door to the vehicle had to be removed to extricate the patient. The person was flown to a hospital
by a medic helicopter. Station 6-1 was called to handle the LZ. Crews extinguished the fire.
Firefighters remained on the scene until 0330.
4/16/1999
PAULSBORO FIRE COMPANY CELEBRATES 100th ANNIVERSARY. The Paulsboro
Volunteer Fire Association #1 held its 100th Anniversary Banquet on April 16th at their firehouse.
Over 200 people attended the gala affair. Ben Fish gave the champagne toast to the Association as
he did 50 years ago at the 50th Anniversary dinner. Frank Scheetz opened the time capsule, having
been behind the cornerstone since 1963 in the present building, which was built to replace the
original firehouse that burned down in April of 1962. Gary Stevenson presented a 300-page
history book to the Fire Association. The present officers of both the Fire Company and Ladies
Auxiliary were installed that night. A memorial service was also conducted remembering those
members who have passed on. Many past and present dignitaries were in attendance.
4/27/1999
COUCH CATCHES FIRE ON LINCOLN AVENUE. The Fire Department was called to a
dwelling fire at 280 Lincoln Avenue at 8:20 p.m. An electric candle was unknowingly knocked
onto a couch where it became on fire. The resident of the home, Arthur Saintes, attempted to
extinguish the fire but was unable to do so. The FD arrived and put out the fire with a booster line.
The burned couch was removed from the home and the house ventilated of smoke. There was no
other damage to the residence. Crews remained on the scene till 9:30.
5/02/1999
TRAIN ON FIRE. The local Fire Department responded to train fire. Upon arrival it was
discovered that the battery box was on fire on the engine. The FD used dry chemicals to
extinguish the fire. Crews were on the scene less than 1 hour.
6/20/1999
HOUSE DESTROYED BY FIRE. A vacant home at 1423 S. Commerce St. was destroyed by
fire. The home, which sits along the Mantua Creek, was fully engulfed when the Paulsboro Fire
Department arrived. The fire was already coming through the roof and out of many 2nd floor
windows. The fire was discovered by a Paulsboro policeman around 2:45 in the morning. It
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appears that the fire was the work of an arsonist as many pour patterns were found inside the burnt
out dwelling. The home was tore down a few days later. Crews were on the scene till 6:20 a.m.
7/03/1999
TRASH CAN FIRE FILLS HOUSE WITH SMOKE. A trash can which caught fire from
apparently discarded matches, caused minor damage to the home of Steve O’Leary at 592 N.
Delaware St. The trash can was destroyed and there was minor fire damage to the door frame and
some flooring. The FD ventilated the home of smoke.
7/28/1999
FIREMEN RECOVER BODY FROM BUILDING. While returning from a brush fire call on
Mantua Avenue, the Paulsboro Fire Department was called to assist in the removal of a dead body
from the apartments above the Laundromat at 31 E. Broad St. The person apparently died a few
days before being discovered. The firefighters had to put on air-packs before entering the building.
7/30/1999
FIREMEN BATTLE HOUSE FIRE. The Paulsboro FD was dispatched to a house fire at 119
W. Washington St around 2:40 p.m. The fire apparently started in the basement of the home of
Michale Burt from a discarded cigarette. The fire caught a number of shelves on fire then
proceeded to go up the outside walls of the home into the attic. The home suffered extensive fire
damage on the right side as well as major water and smoke damage. Engine 1711 was the main
attack truck being fed by Engine 1721. Gibbstown's ladder also went into service on a very hot
summer day. Crews remained on the scene until 6:10 p.m. The fire department was called back
again about a half hour later to extinguish some hot spots
8/20/1999
FIRE DEPARTMENT FIGHTS SHED FIRE. The FD was called out to a shed on fire next to
Logo's Neckwear on Gill Avenue. The shed was consumed by flames. This was the second
attempt of an arsonist within the last week. (There would be two more attempts in September to
set the main building on fire. Someone attempted to set the windows on fire each time. Damage
was minimal.
9/16/1999
FIREMEN STAND BY FOR HURRICANE FLOYD. The Paulsboro Fire Department handled
a number of wire calls and tree removals resulting from the winds and rain of Hurricane Floyd.
11/04/1999
RAILROAD CARS OVERTURN AT REFINERY. The Paulsboro Fire Department was
dispatched to standby after two railroad cars overturned within the refinery. Neither car leaked any
product. Crews were on the scene from 9:30 am till 2 p.m.
2000
4/25/2000
CAR FIRE ALONG RIVER. The fire department responded to a heavily involved vehicle fire at
41 Riverview Avenue. An old VW bus was completely destroyed by the fire.
4/30/2000
FIRE DEPT. CALLED INTO NATIONAL PARK. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called
into National Park to help fight a fire at Duers Cafe.
5/06/2000
GARAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE. A garage behind 329 Greenwich Avenue was destroyed by
fire. When the firefighters arrived it was already heavily involved.
5/15/2000
DUPLEX DESTROYED BY FIRE. An early morning fire burned through half the house and
left the other severely damaged. The Paulsboro Fire Department was dispatched to fight a house
fire at 18 W. Jefferson St. around 2:30 in the morning. Fire was coming out many of the windows
on the right side of the duplex when the firefighters arrived on the scene. The fire originated in the
first-floor living room Firefighters were able to extinguish the first and second floor fires and
worked their way up to the attic. Crews were on the scene until 5:21 a.m. Paulsboro, National
Park, Repaupo, Gibbstown, Westville, Thorofare and Woolwich fire departments responded to the
fire. No one was hurt in the blaze, said Paulsboro Fire Chief Glenn Roemmich.
5/17/2000
PAULSBORO PROBES DELAWARE ST. ARSON BLAZE. An arson fire, which broke out at
a S. Delaware St. business early Wednesday morning, has police and fire officials investigating to
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find the alleged arsonist responsible. At 1:12 a.m. the Paulsboro Fire Department to a building fire
at J. Koch Associates on Lodge Avenue and S. Delaware St. County Fire Marshal William Rieger
said someone allegedly started the fire outside the building's loading dick facility. The blaze then
entered the building when it came through a window, he said, as it marred the interior area
surrounding it. "The fire was nothing major, it was more of a nuisance to the building owner," he
said. Though Rieger said the fire did not cause significant damage, due to the efforts of the
firefighters, it is not the first time an arson blaze has occurred in the area over the past 12 months.
"We don't have any major leads yet, Rieger said. As of now, police Borough Fire Official and the
County Fire Marshal will be investigating the matter, he said. Attempts are being made to find out
if any previous arson fires in the area are linked to this one, he said. The fire was put under control
by 1:47 a.m., though fire officials stayed at the scene until 3:17 a.m.
5/24/2000
EMPTY BOAT SPURS SEARCH ON RIVER. The discovery of an empty boat floating near
the dock at the Valero Oil Refinery launched a search of the Delaware River shortly before 10
p.m. Wednesday. Firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard searched the river for the boat's owner.
Shortly after11: 30 p.m., firefighter's found Charles Lake, 40, watching a horseshoes game at the
Sportsmen's Club on the river. Lake told authorities his boat has become disabled and he had tied
it off. No charges were filed pending completion of the investigation, police said.
9/18/2000
PAULSBORO FD ASSIST E. GREENWICH WITH FIRE. The FD was called to 165 W.
Cohawkin Road to help extinguish a kitchen fire. The firefighters assisted with overhaul after the
fire was extinguished. Crews were dispatched at 3:04 p.m. and remained there till almost 4 p.m.
2001
1/17/2001
CAR FIRE IN PAULSBORO. The Paulsboro Fire Dept. was called out to extinguish a car fire
outside of 401 Elizabeth Avenue. The car, belonging to Nancy Stiteler, suffered extensive damage
to the engine compartment as well as the hood of the car. Leaking oil onto the hot manifold of the
car is believed to be the cause. The FD was dispatched at 0757 in the morning and was at the
scene for about one hour.
4/21/2001
GRENADE FOUND IN HOUSE. A WW II grenade was found in a residence at 417 Cook
Avenue. The resident found it while cleaning. The Police & Bomb Squad were called in.
4/24/2001
FIRE DEPT. CALLED TO SCHOOL FOR GAS LEAK. A "slight seepage of gas, probably
methane", from a sewer main at Loudenslager School caused the evacuation of hundreds of
students and staff and the cancellation of classes Tuesday, Mark Franceschini, the interim
superintendent said Wednesday. Describing the smell as that of "rotten eggs," Franceschini said
students were sent home at about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday. Of the approximately 400 students present,
50 to 60 whose parents couldn't be contacted were sent with teachers to Billingsport School, where
they stayed in the cafeteria, he said. The problem was fixed Tuesday, he said and classes resumed
as normal Wednesday morning. The Paulsboro Fire Department responded to the scene and used
gas detectors to determine the area of the gas smell. Crews were on the scene till almost 9 a.m.
5/06/2001
FIRE GUTS VACANT HOME ON W. BUCK ST. A vacant home was severely damaged by a
fire. The FD was called out around 4:30 a.m. and found flames coming from the front windows.
Interior crews were unable to reach the 2nd floor to fight the fire because the steps had already
burned away. Crews were on the scene till 9 a.m. The fire was located at 371 W. Buck Street.
7/03/2001
TRUCK FIRE IN GIBBSTOWN. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called into Gibbstown to
help fight a truck fire at the Dutch Auction in Gibbstown. A truck full of area rugs had caught fire
at the loading dock. It became fully enveloped and began to catch the building on fire. The
Paulsboro engine laid 1000 feet of hose to the Gibbstown truck. The truck and its contents were
destroyed. The fire caused minimal damage to the roof and loading dock areas of the building. Fire
fighters from seven companies were called out to battle the fire at 1:51 p.m. and fully extinguished
the fire 30 minutes after arriving.
7/17/2001
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CHEMICALS CAUSE SMALL FIRE. The Fire Department was called out to a small garage
fire on S. Chestnut St. It was discovered that a chlorine container came into contact with a
petroleum product and began emitting smoke and fire. The fire was extinguished with water and
very small damage was done to the building. The garage belongs to Walter Gindhart.
9/11/2001
HOME DESROYED BY FIRE. An elderly woman lost her home to an electrical fire Tuesday
night. The home at 613 Greenwich Avenue, belonging to Jennie Bay, was completely destroyed
by fire. Paulsboro Fire Chief Glenn Roemmich said the house was gutted but no one was home
during the fire. The fire was under control by 7:30 p.m. Upon arrival, firefighters found heavy
smoke and fire coming from the 2nd & 3rd floors. Interior crews made their way to second floor
but were driven back when the roof began collapsing and conditions were deteriorating. The fire
was able to reach the attic due to balloon construction of the 3-story house. "We did have some
problems with water - that's what took us so long to control the fire," Roemmich said. "We have a
loop system and we put too many trucks on one side of the loop and we were actually pulling
water away from other trucks. Until we got that under control, we had a slight problem. It took a
while to get other trucks in place and other hose lines in place." The cause of the fire was
determined to have been electrical and started in the basement. The fire began at an electrical
panel in the basement of the house, came out of a window and went up the side of the house, said
Roemmich. The Paulsboro Police rescued a dog in the house, Roemmich said. The fire also went
into the walls through the basement. Firefighters were at the scene from 4:44 p.m. to 9:09 p.m.
The Paulsboro Fire Department was assisted in fighting the fire by the Thorofare, Woolwich, East
Greenwich, Mt Royal, Repaupo and Gibbstown fire companies.
9/26/2001
ROOSEVELT ST. HOME DAMAGED BY FIRE. A late afternoon fire damaged a house at 30
Roosevelt Street around 4 p.m. The Paulsboro Fire Department found fire and smoke coming from
the 2nd floor upon arrival. The initial interior crew made their way up the steps to the 2nd floor
but was driven back by heavy smoke and flames. They then made entry to the house through a
second floor window and extinguished the fire. For the second time, Paulsboro Fire Chief Glenn
Roemmich said, firefighters had trouble accessing water because someone had rounded off the top
of a fire hydrant. Until they found a pipe wrench, firefighters had to battle the blaze with limited
water, he said. Roemmich said he didn't know whether use, age or vandalism rounded off the top
of the hydrant, but that the borough needed to replace it. At 3:55 p.m., the fire broke out on the
second floor of the home. When firefighters arrived, it was "very hot and they had no visibility",
Roemmich said. Battling the fire with "limited' amounts of water" until we got supply lines
going," firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. The fire was declared under control at 4:26 p.m.
The cause of the fire was an overloaded electrical outlet which had a space heater plugged into it
in a bedroom. The home suffered heavy smoke and water damage as well. Assisting the local FD
was Gibbstown, Bridgeport, Thorofare and Repaupo fire companies. Crews were on the scene
until almost 6 p.m.
12/12/2001
FIRE DEPT. CALLED FOR FIRE AT HIGH SCHOOL. The fire department responded to a
fire in the chemistry classroom at the high school. Apparently the teacher was heating up Ethyl
Alcohol in a glass beaker when it broke and the ingredients ignited some papers and books on the
table. The fire was put out by use of extinguishers. There was no other damage. Crews were on the
scene less than one hour.
12/31/2001
DOGS RESCUED BY FIRE DEPARTMET. Two stranded dogs were rescued by the Paulsboro
and Thorofare fire departments at the Mantua Creek. The dogs had wandered out there at low tide
but could not get back when the water came back in. They seemed to be okay and were turned
over to the SPCA.
2002
4/14/2002
FIRE DESTROYS HOME IN GIBBSTOWN. A fire gutted a home on Swedesboro Road across
from the old Paulsboro Lockers. The fire was reported at 4 p.m. and crews were on the scene until
6:20 p.m. The cause of the fire is still undetermined. Heavy fire could be seen coming from the
front and side of the house when the firefighters arrived. Crews from Gibbstown, Paulsboro,
Bridgeport and Repaupo fought the blaze. There were no apparent injuries.
4/21/2002
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CAR CRASHES INTO HOME. A vehicle crashed into the home of Joe Giovanetti at 350
Billings Avenue around 1:30 in the morning. The car left the road, clipped the house next door's
porch, became airborne and went into the living room of the Giovanetti home. Fortunately they
were on the other side of the house in a rear bedroom. The driver suffered slight injuries. The FD
was called to assist in removal of the car from the house and to make sure nothing caught fire.
Crews left the scene at 3 a.m. Investigation into the accident is on going.
7/11/2002
FIRE AT PALLET BUILDING. The Paulsboro FD responded to a large pallet fire behind the 76
Truck Stop. The FD assisted with getting water to the fire scene.
8/06/2002
LARGE PALLET FIRE IN EAST GREENWICH. The Paulsboro FD was called in to assist the
E. Greenwich FD extinguish a large pallet fire behind the truck stop. The fire originally started out
as a brush fire but strong winds blew the fire onto the pallets. At one point flames reached
upwards of 20 feet said William Bates, Chief of the Mt. Royal Fire Company. The fire was called
in at 4 p.m. and crews were on the scene for over 3 hours.
8/14/2002
LARGE BRUSH FIRE NEAR INCINERATOR PLANT. A large brush fire at the Gloucester
County Incinerator in West Deptford, had firefighters, including Paulsboro, at the scene for nearly
five hours.
8/30/2002
MAN DIES IN FORKLIFT ACCIDENT. A man died from injuries suffered when a forklift he
was operating, fell off a loading platform and landed on top of him. The man was extricated from
beneath the vehicle and flown by helicopter to the hospital where he died later. The FD was called
in to land the Medivac inside the Ace Pallet yard at the bridge over the Mantua Creek.
09/17/2002
COUNCIL ADOPTS FIREFIGHTER RESIDENCE CHANGE. Volunteer firefighters from
neighboring towns will get the chance to fight fires here, thanks to an ordinance change that
allows those from outside the borough to respond to fire calls. Since 1971, only residents of the
riverfront community have been able to fight fires. Under terms of the adopted ordinance,
volunteers who live in the bordering townships of West Deptford, East Greenwich and Gibbstown
can join the fight, according to Municipal Clerk Kathy Van Scoy. "This puts us on par with other
communities," Fire Chief Gary Stevenson said. Stevenson said the change might increase the
number of volunteer firefighters responding to calls in the borough. The town has seen its active
members dwindle to about 20 whom serve two fire stations. "Volunteerism is way down and we
are trying things to bring people in," Stevenson said. "If this is a way to get one or two guys to
help out, we'll take it." Mayor John Burzichelli said especially in light of the recent July 4th
tragedy in Gloucester, anything that can be done to increase the borough's volunteer numbers
would be looked at. "If our volunteers are telling us that this is going to allow us to have additional
members to help the organization, then it is a good thing," he said. "People take a lot of this for
granted. Whatever we can do to keep them encouraged, we'll do it."
10/13/2002
FIRE CHIEF PROPOSES JUNIOR FF ORDINANCE. Teen-agers who previously crossed
town lines to join firefighting efforts won't have to next week after an ordinance allowing 16 - 17
year-olds to join the borough's volunteer ranks is expected to be approved. The ordinance is
designed to increase volunteer participation in the Paulsboro Fire Department, which has dwindled
in recent years. "Other stations through the county have had it and some have had it for years,"
Fire Chief Gary Stevenson said. "You have to look at all kinds of ways of bringing in volunteers
and there is no better way to get them in than when they are young. Stevenson said he plans on
beginning a heavy recruitment program at the high school in an effort to get the borough's youth
involved in firefighting efforts. "We want to get people involved early and keep them involved in
the ranks," he said. Stevenson is modeling the program after similar efforts by the neighboring
Gibbstown and East Greenwich fire companies and there are already six applicants who have
already signed up for the program. They can begin training once the council passes the ordinance
Tuesday, according to Mayor John Burzichelli. "Firefighting gets in people's blood and it's a
program that is well supervised, so first and foremost safety is the order of the day," Burzichelli
said. Members of the Paulsboro Junior Firefighters' Auxiliary will undergo training allowing them
to participate in non-life threatening fire calls and ride along with firefighters only when an older
firefighter is not needed to fill a seat. Stevenson said parents would be heavily involved
throughout the process and school work takes precedent over a youngster's involvement in the
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program. "These kids have to know they can't be hanging out at the firehouse and letting their
grades drop," Stevenson said.
11/30/2002
FIRE DESTROYS DUPLEX. A fire, which began in the basement of the house on 249 W.
Adams St., gutted most of the duplex. Valerie Harvey and her family awoke Saturday morning to
squelching black smoke and the sound of a fire alarm. “It saved our lives,” Harvey said of the
verbal alert. “All it kept saying was ‘fire, fire, fire.” Besides herself, Harvey said her nieces
Yakira, Kameria and nephews Yahmeen and Quaree Johnson escaped the fire without harm. She
said her mother Delores Johnson, who lived in the connecting house, was not home when the fire
started in Johnson’s basement. County Fire Marshal Bill Rieger said accidental, careless smoking
caused the blaze, which gutted both buildings. When firefighters arrived they found heavy fire
coming from the front right side of the duplex. The front porch area was fully engulfed in flames.
Heavy smoke was showing from the left side. When firefighters went inside the left side they
found that fire had already breached the walls separating the two homes. Both first floors of each
home were gutted. The basement where the fire started was gutted as well. The fire began near a
sofa in the basement and went up one of the walls that separate the homes. The fire was reported
around 10 a.m. and crews were on the scene until 1:30 p.m. Crews from Paulsboro and Gibbstown
were the first trucks on the scene. Engine 1721 was the first attack truck being fed water by
Engine 1711. Gibbstown placed their ladder 2116 into service in front of the dwelling being fed by
Engine 1722. Firefighters from Thorofare and Repaupo also assisted.
12/11/2002
WOMAN DIES IN GIBBSTOWN FIRE. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called in to assist
in fighting a fire that claimed the life of a Gibbstown woman. The fire was located at 430 Allen
Avenue, near the Gibbstown Post Office. The woman was discovered in a second floor bedroom.
The first floor of the home was completely gutted by the fire which was discovered at about 10
p.m. Crews were on the scene till 2 a.m. The fire was determined to be accidental, caused by a
faulty extension cord.
12/19/2002
FIRE AT OLD PAULSBORO WATER PLANT. Fire destroyed an old abandoned water plant
building across the Mantua Creek, behind "Yorkies" gas station around 2 a.m. The fire was the
work of an arsonist. A motorist saw the fire and called police. The fire companies had a tough time
getting to the fire because of a welded iron gate across the property as well as a small path back to
the building, which was overgrown with weeds. Gibbstown's ladder truck was set up in the pallet
yard on the Paulsboro side of the creek and rained water down on the building. Thorofare was
called in as well to extinguish the fire. Crews were on the scene for over 2 hours. The County Fire
Marshal was called in to investigate the fire.
2003
1/13/2003
ANTIQUE FURNITURE VAN BURNS. The Fire Department was called out around 11 p.m. to
extinguish a commercial vehicle fire at McDonald's. When the fire fighters arrived, a lot of smoke
was scene coming from the large van. When the doors were opened fire came shooting out. The
truck was loaded with antique furniture which was all destroyed by the fire. The fire was
extinguished in less than 15 minutes. Crews were on the scene for about 45 minutes.
2/13/2003
SCHOOL EVACUATED FOR SMOKE. About 400 students at Loudenslager School were
evacuated Thursday morning after a pump in the school's heating system broke, filling the boiler
room with smoke. More than 20 firefighters from Paulsboro and Gibbstown fire departments
responded to the alarm. Students were let back into the building after about 15 minutes. Paulsboro
Fire Chief Gary Stevenson said improved communications between the school and the fire
department helped firefighters respond quickly to the incident. "The staff did an excellent job
following all the evacuation procedures," said Stevenson.
2/17/2003
SNOW CAUSES BUILDING COLLAPES. The Paulsboro Fire Dept. was called out to a
building collapse on Billlingsport Road. The area received about 12 inches or more of wet snow.
The rear of the building, across the street from the Billingsport fire station once was used a bakery.
The building has been vacant for sometime. The FD was later called into the PSEG facility on W.
Jefferson Street when part of the roof collapsed there because of the snow. There were no injuries.
3/15/2003
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PLANT FIRE IN WEST DEPTFORD. The FD was dispatched to help fight a fire at the
Johnson-Mathey plant in West Deptford. Crews were sent into the building to contain a tank fire.
4/25/2003
SCHOOL BUS AND VAN COLLIDES. The FD was called out along with the Ambulance
Squad for a school bus crash around 3 p.m. A small van had apparently run a stop sign and
collided with the small school bus. The bus was taking kids to a sporting event. No serious injuries
were reported as all the kids were taken to the hospital to be checked out.
6/21/2003
DELAWARE ST. HOUSE FIRE. The Paulsboro FD was dispatched at 5:51 p.m. to a house fire
at 735 N. Delaware Street. Upon arrival Fire Chief Gary Stevenson ordered an attack line from
Engine 1711. Deputy Chief Jim Lutz handled water supply. A ladder truck from Gibbstown was
set up on the Billing’s Avenue side of the dwelling to ventilate the roof. Chief Stevenson said
about 20 firefighters battled the blaze and brought it under control within 45 minutes. “When we
got there, there was heavy fire coming out of the upper floor windows,” Stevenson said. “The fire
was just pouring out and it was starting to come through the roof as well.” Besides the blackened
bedroom where the fire began – which is accented by two charred youth beds, a scorched pillow
and soot covered walls – Stevenson said the rest of the house suffered only minor damage. He
attributes the minimal damage to the manner in which the blaze burned and the quick actions of
the firefighters. “The fire was shooting straight out instead of spreading through the house,”
Stevenson said. “The firefighters said it was super hot in there, but they were able to quickly able
to get water on the fire and extinguish the blaze before it had a chance to spread any further.” The
blaze caused water and smoke damage to the upper floors rendering it temporarily unlivable.
Paulsboro Fire Marshall Dan Berth said a youth playing with a lighter sparked the Saturday
evening blaze, which ripped through the 2 ½ story house. The home was being lived in by sisters
Sonya Saunders and Pauline Tull which they share with their 13 children. Saunders said she was
cooking dinner when her three year old nephew came downstairs, hander her a lighter and told
said his brother was playing with it. “I knew something was going on,” Saunders said. “Then the
smoke detector went off. It really wasn’t smoke, it was fire.” The firefighters cleared the scene by
8 p.m. Crews from Gibbstown, Repaupo, Thorofare and Woolwich responded as well.
7/12/2003
PEDISTRIAN HIT BY CAR NEAR CVS. The FD and Ambulance squad was dispatched at
9:20 p.m. for a pedestrian - motor vehicle accident in front of the CVS drug store. A car hit a man
crossing W. Broad Street. The FD set up a helicopter-landing zone at the old Ames Plaza. The
man survived with minor injuries.
8/06/2003
GARAGE FIRE ON ROSSEVELT ST. The Paulsboro Fire Department responded at 12:30 p.m.
to a building fire behind 41 Roosevelt Street. When the fire fighters arrived, heavy fire was seen
coming from the interior of the garage. Crews were able to knock the fire down quickly before
flames reached the vacant home that it was near. The County Fire Marshal was called in to
investigate the fire. It is believed to have been intentionally set. The Gibbstown FD assisted with
extinguishing the fire. Crews left the scene at 1:37 p.m.
8/21/2003
TRUCK FIRE IN GATX. The cab of a truck inside the GATX terminal on Ferry Road was
severely damaged by fire. When the firemen arrived, heavy smoke and fire was coming from the
inside compartment area. The fire was extinguished quickly with no further damage. The fire was
reported around 4 p.m. An electrical problem inside the cab is believed to be the cause.
8/22/2003
FD ASSIST GIBBSTOWN WITH RAMADA INN FIRE. The Paulsboro FD was called in at
9:06 a.m. to Gibbstown to help extinguish a fire at the Ramada Inn on Swedesboro Avenue. The
fire was contained to one room. There was a lot of smoke and water damage. Crews were on the
scene until 11:04 a.m. Engine 1721 laid a supply line to ladder 2116.
8/27/2003
FIRE DAMAGES HOME ON SWEDESBORO AVE. The rear of the home at 1722
Swedesboro Avenue was heavily damaged by fire at 3:30 p.m. When Fire Gary Stevenson arrived,
heavy fire was seen coming from the side door and rear windows of the kitchen. An interior attack
team was sent in and extinguished the fire with 10 minutes. The fire had made its way into the rear
walls of the house. There was no other structural damage, but the home suffered extensive smoke
damage throughout. The fire is believed to have been caused by a faulty exhaust fan above the
stove. Firefighters from Gibbstown, Thorofare, Woolwich and East Greenwich assisted at the
scene. Crews cleared from the scene about an hour later.
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9/17/2003
MAILBOX SET ON FIRE. Fire fighters were called out early in the morning to extinguish a fire
inside a mailbox near the Post Office. Dry chemicals were used instead of water to put out the fire.
The Postmaster was contacted and removed the items from the box. It appears that someone
stuffed some papers inside the box and started the fire. Crews were at the scene for 30 minutes.
9/18-23/2003
HEAVY STORMS KEEP FD BUSY. Two heavy rain and wind storms kept firefighters very
busy this week. The Fire Department answered a total of 32 calls during this time. There were
many wire calls and trees down calls. The FD removed a large tree that fell across the railroad
tracks behind a home on Mantua Avenue.
11/16/2003
HOUSE ALONG RIVER DAMAGED BY FIRE. Firefighters spent more than an hour battling
an electrical fire, which broke out Sunday morning at a vacant Riverview Avenue home here. By
early afternoon, charred, split siding, shattered windows and puddles of sooty water were the only
remnants of the accidental fire Chief Gary Stevenson said was sparked from basement wiring in
the riverfront home. "We had heavy fire pouring out of the back of the residence," Stevenson said.
"Smoke was coming out all the windows." A neighbor said he happened to look out his window,
saw smoke and immediately called 9-1-1 at seeing the fire, which started at 11:32 a.m. "It smelled
like leaves burning," he said. "Smoke was coming out all the windows. There was a lot of smoke."
Stevenson said secured doors - one with two-by-fours - made the blaze particularly difficult to get
to and forced crews to break the door down. "It was a stubborn fire to fight," Stevenson said.
"Nobody got hurt, that's the main thing. Houses can be rebuilt." Besides a completely gutted
bathroom and some fire damage in the basement, Stevenson said that with some work, the house
could be lived in again. "It's not necessarily a lot of fire damage," Stevenson said. "It's insurance
driven..... We’ve seen houses that were really totaled and they fixed them and we've seen the
opposite. To me, it's not livable right away, but it's fixable." Crews were on the scene for 4 hours.
On 11\16\03 at 11:32 hrs District 17 (Paulsboro 17-1 & Billingsport 17-2) was dispatched to a
Dwelling fire at 42 Riverview Ave. Initial report of smoke coming from the dwelling, which was
unoccupied. Station 21-1 & Squad 17-9 (Gibbstown & Paulsboro EMS) were also dispatched for
the job. Firsts units arrived within 3 minutes of being dispatched. First arriving units 17-01 &1703 (G. Stevenson & M. Licciardello) found heavy smoke in the rear of the dwelling.17-01
assumed command as1700 and told Communications of a working fire and to complete the box.
(Adding Covers to the district & a *R.I.T. Team, Station 6-1 Thorofare in 17-2 & 18-2 Repaupo
in 17-1 & 25-1 Woolwich for the R.I. T.) Incoming orders for the 1st in engine was an attack line,
2nd in engine order was a supply line and all manpower forward for fire suppression &
accountability. A downed tree blocked the driveway to the residence, which sat approximately 50
yards back from the road. Engine1721operated by G. Roemmich had to pull onto the front lawn
to gain access to the house. Upon arrival they pulled a 1-¾-attack line to the front door. The front
door was opened and the initial crew led by 2nd Lieut. C.Vanlueven, & firefighters P. Norivlla
and B. McBroom Jr. was faced with heavy smoke inside the dwelling, which hampered their
ability to find the seed of the fire. Engine 1711 Operated by J. Suiter along with 17-02 (J. Lutz)
arrived and supplied 1721 with a 5-inch supply line and secured a water supply from a hydrant on
Riverview Ave. With the intense smoke 1700 called for a 2 nd alarm which brought in District 19
for added manpower. 2nd interior crew led by firefighter K. Hogle, P. Norivlla, B.McBroom Jr.
& M. Licciardello (17-03) made entry into the dwelling and was able to advance further than the
initial crew. The 2nd interior crew was able to open a window in the dinning room and hydro vent
the room. This allowed them enough visibility to find the fire in the hallway as well as the
bathroom and knock the fire down. Upon their arrival, a crew from 21-1 (Gibbstown) was able to
clear the tree from the driveway but was unable to get Ladder 2116 into the scene. Orders were
then given to ventilate the roof to remove some of the heat & smoke. A crew from 21-1
completed the ventilation of the roof. Station 25-1 arrived and set up the R.I.T Team in front of the
dwelling. At the same time, a 2nd attack line was pulled from 1721 and stretched to the rear of the
dwelling. 17-02 (J.Lutz) along with 1st Lieut. P. McGinn work with crews who handled Division
C command, worked in the rear of the dwelling on removing the exterior siding to gain access to
the fire in the walls. The fire was knocked down in the first floor interior. Another crew pulled a
3rd 1-3\4 attack line and then proceeded to knock the fire down within the basement. The crew led
by M. Licciardello (17-03) K. Hogle & F. Buri in the basement was also faced with heavy smoke
but was able to extinguish the fire in the basement very quickly. A 3rd crew led by Capt. Tom
Foley, D. Montgomery & E. Keegan was able to wrap up the fire in the bathroom and checked
for hot spots in the dinning room. They worked together with the exterior crew on completing the
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extinguishment of the fire within the walls. A crew from 21-1 went in and performed overhaul in
the bathroom and hallway. Crews were hampered trying to gain access to a side entrance because
the door had a 2x4 board securing it from the inside. After a short time they were finally able to
gain access and open the door. This allowed more fresh air in to help with the ventilation of the
dwelling. The fire was quickly knocked down and damage was kept to a minimum. It was
determined that the heavy smoke was caused from a fiberglass tub that was burning in the
bathroom. Squad 17-9 set up a rehab unit in the front of the property for the firemen that exited
the building and had 21-92(Gibbstown EMS) & 18-95(Logan EMS) providing EMS service if
needed. The County Fire Marshall and the County Prosecutors Office was called to assist Local
Fire Marshall with the investigation of the fire. The fire was brought under control at 12:56 hrs
and crews remained in service until 13:54 hrs.
11/18/2003
CONGRESSMAN VISITS PAULSBORO FD, SEES NEW GEAR. A mere $72,000 could
have meant the difference between life and death for Paulsboro firefighters whose deficient
turnout gear was recently replaced through federal funding. U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, D-1 of
Haddon Heights, joined local officials at the Paulsboro Fire Department Monday afternoon to
usher in 40 sets of brand-new protective gear, which were covered in large part through a $72,000
Federal Emergency Management Agency's 2003 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The
grant comes with a 10 percent borough match, which Fire Chief Gary Stevenson said is expected
early next year. Andrews stressed the importance of the grant and said the department competed
with thousands of communities around the U.S. for financial backing. He said a total of $855,000
is available for the congressional district, with a few hundred awards being made for each state
annually. Most importantly, Andrews noted that the grants are awarded by peer review, with
fellow firefighters determining which departments have the greatest need. "The idea is valueadded," Andrews said. "It's something here that would not be here otherwise." Neighboring Valero
Paulsboro Refinery in Greenwich chipped in $3,000. Fire Chief Gary Stevenson said the grants
pumped new life into the department by enabling the 40-member crew to purchase new gear -totaling $1,500 per set -- and $5,000 air packs. "Towns like us can not afford big money
purchases," Stevenson said. "We almost became defunct as a fire department." Stevenson said the
7-year-old gear was deemed faulty last spring following a major chemical fire at the Johnson
Matthey plant in West Deptford Township. Mayor John Burzichelli said the imperfections were
not obvious prior to the inspection. "It was an interior lining," Burzichelli said. "No one knew."
Still, the realization left firefighters without usable outfits, requiring the department to borrow
second-hand gear from other nearby fire departments, Stevenson said. "I got a guy from Paulsboro
wearing a Thorofare set of gear," Stevenson said of previous fire calls. "It got confusing." On
Sunday, Stevenson and crew officially broke in new protective outfits as they battled a house fire
on Riverview Avenue.
12/03/2003
FIRE DAMAGES ATTIC IN GIBBSTOWN. The Paulsboro FD was called into Gibbstown at
3:30 a.m. to help extinguish an attic fire at 348 Carson Avenue. The attic suffered heavy fire and
water damage, as did the kitchen below the fire. Crews left the scene at 5:26 a.m.
12/08/2003
LARGE GARAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE ON NEAR CREEK. A large garage belonging to
Mr. Patton, at 1531 S. Commerce St., along the Mantua Creek, was completely destroyed by fire.
When firefighters arrived, the fire had already enveloped most of the garage. Firefighters
extinguished the flames before they could reach another shed that was near as well as the house.
The fire is ruled accidental. There were no injuries. Crews were at the scene for two hours. The
Gibbstown and East Greenwich Fire Departments were called in to assist with the fire. On
December 8th the Paulsboro Fire Department was dispatched to 1531 SO. Commerce Street for a
structure fire. 1701 Chief Gary Stevenson was first to arrive and find one garage fully involved
and a shed partially involved. Orders were given to the first engine in (1711) to go into service and
the crew was to lead off with a 1 3/4" line to start knocking down the fire. The first attack team led
by FF Keith Hogle, 2nd Lt Gregg Goss and FF Ed Keagan knocked down the bulk of the fire on
the shed and then assisted another team lead by 1st Lt Pat McGinn and Dan Berth with knocking
down the fire on the garage. Crews continued with knocking down the fire as Gibbstown 2111 laid
5" from the hydrant and then tied into 1711. 2111 and 2116 on location sent manpower forward to
help crews with their firefighting efforts. 1721 arrived with limited manpower and also sent a crew
to assist on the scene. Fire was placed under control in about 40 minutes and crews remained on
location for another hour for overhaul and to assure there were no more hot spots.
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12/31/2003
PAULSBORO ENDS YEAR WITH RECORD CALLS. The Paulsboro Fire Department ended
the year with a new record of fire calls answered for a year - 280. The last call of the year was for
a smoke condition inside the Borough Administration Building. A circulator on a heat pump
overheated causing the smoke.
2004
1/10/2004
LEAKING GAS LINE IN MANTUA AVE. HOME. The Fire Department was called to the
residence at 445 Mantua Avenue to investigate the smell of gas. Upon investigation, fire fighters
wearing SCBA's were able to find that the house was filled with gas from a broken gas line the
basement of the house. Readings taken by the firefighters were found to be unsafe for anyone
living there. The Gas Company was called in to fix the problem. One resident was taken to the
hospital after feeling ill. Crews were on the scene for over an hour.
1/26/2004
FIRE DEPT. ASSIST POLICE IN MURDER. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called into a
murder scene on Thomson Avenue to provide lighting for the Police Department and the County
Investigating unit. A man was shot inside his home at 409 Thomson Avenue and stumbled into the
street before dying. Crews provided lights for both the rear & front of the house. Crews were on
the scene from 11:30 p.m. until 1:20 a.m.
2/06/2004
HOME SUFFERS FIRE DAMAGE IN GIBBSTOWN. The Paulsboro FD was called into
Gibbstown to help extinguish a dwelling fire. The fire started in the Chimney at the residence of
104 S. Home Street. Crews were on the scene fro 5:18 p.m. until 7:35 p.m.
3/17/2004
FD CALLED INTO LUBE PLANT. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called into the
ExxonMobil Lube Plant on Billingsport Road after an unknown white powder substance was
found. The Firefighters along with a County Health representative donned protective clothing to
check out the substance. It was later determined to be silica used for packing. Crews were on the
scene for just over an hour.
3/19/2004
VACANT HOME DAMAGED BY FIRE ON MADISON ST. The Paulsboro Fire Department
was called out to extinguish a fire at a vacant house on E. Madison St. When firefighters arrived at
the house at 17 E. Madison St., they found heavy smoke conditions throughout. An interior attack
team was sent to the basement where they extinguished the fire. The fire had begun to work its
way to the first floor. The home was believed to be vacant, but candles and a mattress were found
in the basement. A lit candle was believed to be the cause of the fire. Crews were dispatched at
5:36 a.m. and were at the scene for three hours.
4/12/2004
FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE CAT. Firefighters were called out to rescue a cat on a telephone
pole near the corner of 6th and Beacon. The cat had been up there for a few days and could not get
back down the pole.
5/09/2004
FIREMEN EXTINGUISH KITCHEN FIRE. The Paulsboro FD was called to 104 Thomson
Avenue to extinguish a kitchen fire. A home, next door to the Paulsboro Firehouse, suffered minor
damage to the kitchen. The cause of the fire was careless cooking. The Gibbstown fire company
assisted in ventilating the smoke from the house. Crews were on the scene for 1/2 hour.
7/10/2004
PAULSBORO FD CALLED INTO SUNOCO FIRE. The Paulsboro Fire Department was
dispatched to help fight a refining unit fire at the Sunoco Refinery in West Deptford. Crews were
at the scene for nearly five hours.
7/12/2004
FIREMEN STOP KITCHEN FIRE. The Paulsboro FD was called out to a home on Spruce
Street to extinguish a kitchen fire. The homeowner discovered his stove on fire and tried to
extinguish the flames to no avail. The firefighters extinguished the fire, which had by then began
to catch the cabinets above the stove on fire. The cause of the fire was a large amount of grease on
the stove that needed to be cleaned. The Gibbstown Fire Department also assisted in ventilating
the smoke from the house. Crews were on the scene for one hour.
7/31/2004
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GARAGE FIRE IN E. GREENWICH. A large garage caught fire next to a home on Timberlane
Road in East Greenwich. The Paulsboro FD was called in to help fight the fire.
8/07/2004
FIRE DEPT. ASSIST POLICE IN ANOTHER MURDER. The Paulsboro FD was called in by
police to provide lighting for a crime scene at 48 Roosevelt Street. A robbery and murder was
committed there. Crews were on the scene from 3 a.m. till 6 a.m.
9/05/2004
FIREMEN CALLED TO SEARCH CREEK. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called out to
search for a missing person, possibly believed to be in or near the Mantua Creek on S. Delaware
Street. It was reported that a friend of the missing person stated he heard him say that he was
going to jump in the creek after being despondent over a personal matter. After a while he could
not find his friend after he left him at the base of the creek. He did not see whether the person
actually went into the creek or not. The FD put a couple of boats into the water for about two
hours and found nothing after a thorough search. Shortly thereafter a call was received that the
"missing" person was at another friend's house.
9/11/2004
BILLINGSPORT CELEBRATES 100TH ANNIVERSARY. The Billingsport Fire Association
celebrated their 100th Anniversary with a large parade. The Borough also was celebrating their
100th Anniversary as well. Large crowds turned out for the parade, Paulsboro Day festivities held
at the Sports Complex fields and the fireworks held later in the evening.
9/22/2004
BEDROOM ABLAZE IN PAULSBORO FIRE. The Paulsboro FD was called out at 5:15 p.m.,
to fight a dwelling fire at 537 Beacon Avenue. Upon arrival, heavy smoke and fire was seen
coming from an upstairs bedroom. Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire and kept the damage
to one room. The house did suffer some smoke and water damage as well. The cause of the fire
was a child playing with matches. Firefighters from Gibbstown assisted with ventilating the house.
Crews were on the scene for about 1 hour.
9/23/2004
FD RECOVERS BODY FROM CREEK. The Paulsboro Fire Department was called to recover
a body floating in the Mantua Creek near Ziggy's dock at the end of E. Adams Street. The man had
jumped off the Commodore Barry Bridge a week earlier and his body somehow was able to make
it up the Delaware River to the inlet of the creek. A boater discovered the body of the man floating
between the bank of the creek and the dock. He notified the Police Department. The FD used its
14-foot boat to snag the body and bring him ashore. The County Coroner was summoned to the
scene to retrieve the body. Crews were on the scene from 9:25 a.m. till 10:45 a.m.
11/03/2004
HOME ON GREENWICH AVE SUFFERS FIRE DAMAGE. Careless cooking caused a fire
that damaged a house at 568 Greenwich Avenue. The homeowner, Michelle Miller, had left a pan
with hot oil on the stove unattended. She was in another part of the house when she heard
something break in the kitchen. Upon investigating she found the kitchen ablaze. The firefighters,
dispatched at 1:53 p.m., on arrival and seeing heavy fire from the rear part of the house, quickly
extinguished the fire. The fire had begun to spread to the outside porch area. The kitchen was
extensively damaged. Crews were on the scene for almost two hours.
11/15/2004
FD ASSISTS POLICE & SQUAD WITH MVC. The FD and Ambulance Squad were called out
around midnight for a pedestrian vs. motor vehicle accident. The man was crossing S. Delaware
Street, near the Starting Gate Bar, when he was hit by a car. He was tossed about 30 feet after
crashing into the windshield of the car. The FD assisted the squad with the patient then helped the
police light up the scene for their investigation. The man possibly suffered a severely broken leg.
Crews remained on thew scene till 1 a.m.
11/19/2004
PAULSBORO FD CALLED INTO W. DEPTFORD APT. FIRE. The Paulsboro FD was
called into the Forrest Creek apartments to fight a building fire in West Deptford. The fire started
in the bathroom of one of the apartments. Crews remained on the scene for nearly two hours.
12/02/2004
FIREFIGHTERS PERFORM ROOF RESCUE. Firefighters were called to rescue a trapped
worker on the roof of the home at 521 5th Street. The man was installing a cable TV system when
he could not get back to his ladder because the roof had become too slick. The FD raised a ladder
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to the roof and used another ladder to assist getting the man down. There were no injuries. Crews
were on the scene for about 1 1/2 hours.
12/29/2004
PAULSBORO FD ENDS YEAR WITH 2008 CALLS. The FD responded to a house fire call at
the Avellino residence at 457 Thomson Avenue. There was no fire when the firefighters arrived.
While the resident was cooking, something flared up on the stove. The house was ventilated of all
the smoke. The Gibbstown FD arrived and assisted the Paulsboro FD. This call ended the year and
the Paulsboro FD responded to 208 fire calls during the year. This is the 2 nd highest total ever.
2005
1/14/2005
FIRE DAMAGES VACANT OLIVE ST. HOME. A vacant home across from 309 Olive St.
was damaged by fire. The call originally came in as an Investigation. When Paulsboro Fire Chief
Gary Stevenson arrived on the scene he found flames coming from the from porch area of the
building. The call was the re-dispatched as a building fire. The fire was quickly extinguished with
only the front porch area suffering damage. The small home has been vacant for many years.
Crews were on the scene from 6:17 p.m. until 8:55 p.m. An attack line was pulled of Engine 1711
to fight the fire. Engine 1721 was the water supply truck w/ 1712.
2/01/2005
TWO CAR MVA ON BROAD ST. Two vehicles collided head on near the intersection of W.
Broad St. and Penn Line Avenue. One of the vehicles crashed into a fire hydrant after being hit
and severed it from the ground. Each vehicle left quite a bit of fluids on the ground for the
firefighters to clean up. Only minor injuries were suffered by the drivers. A rescue truck from
Gibbstown also assisted the local FD. Crews were on the scene for about one hour.
2/06/2005
FIRE GUTS 2 STORY DUPLEX IN PAULSBORO. Three families were left homeless Sunday
when a four-alarm fire gutted their two-story duplex on W. Jefferson St. No one was seriously
injured in the 3:10 p.m. fire said Deputy Fire Chief Mike Licciardello. "One resident received
burns on her forehead," said Licciardello. "But she didn't require medical attention." Licciardello
said one of the three families was home when the fire broke out. The fire apparently began in the
kitchen of the home that was occupied at the time and quickly spread. "The county fire marshal is
still investigating it," said Licciardello. "It does look like it originated in the kitchen. Certainly on
the first floor." Licciardello, who was one of 55 to 65 firefighters dispatched to the residence, said
the fire destroyed the entire first floor of the duplex and a good part of the second floor. "The
families have all been displaced through the Red Cross," said Licciardello. The structure contained
3 rental units. Jeanine Redman 32, watched helplessly as firefighters fought the blaze with streams
of water that ripped shingles off the home in which she has lived for 6 years. Redman and her 4
children were not hurt in the blaze. Redman, who rents the home, said she went into the kitchen at
3 p.m. to cook chicken for the family. She left the room for a moment and when she returned, she
saw smoke and flames. “I tried to turn the stove off,” she said. “I go burned on my forehead,”.
Redman quickly got the kids out of the house and called 911. Redman said her children were
shaken by the experience but added she’s grateful that no one got hurt. “That’s material things,”
she said pointing to the house. The fire quickly spread to the second floor, Licciardello said.
Firefighters used ladder trucks and concentrated their efforts on the homes attic. Firefighter
Donnie Montgomery, one of those present at the scene, said the duplex was made of wood
paneling with wood siding. "Most of the houses in the area are made from the same materials,"
said Montgomery. Firefighters remained at the scene for approximately four hours. Montgomery
said this is one of the most intimidating fires he has yet to face in his career. "When we got there,
the fire had already traveled quite a bit," said Montgomery. "I've been doing this for about 3 1/2
years, and this was the fastest moving fire I've ever encountered." Licciardello said that everyone
inside the home at the time managed to evacuate themselves before the firefighters arrived. He
said that police, EMS, a representative from the Red Cross, the county FM, and a board-up service
to secure the home once the firefighters were finished were dispatched to the scene along with the
firefighters.
2/28/2005
THREE-ALARM FIRE STRIKES HOME IN PAULSBORO. If you think your alarm clock’s
bad try waking up to a three alarm fire in your attic. That’s what happened to Nicole Graham of
304 W. Buck St. just before 7 a.m. on Monday. According to Paulsboro Fire Chief Gary
Stevenson, the fire probably started in the house’s third floor. “There was heavy black smoke
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coming from one side of the attic and fire coming from the other side when I arrived,” said
Stevenson. “About two minutes later the whole attic went up in flames, blowing the windows out
to the street”. Soon after, the fire tore through the roof of the house and simultaneously spread
down to the second floor. “That was even before the first fire trucks got there,” said Stevenson,
who was first to arrive on the scene about one minute after being dispatched. “There is no worse
time for a house fire than 7 a.m. Manpower is very limited during the day here.” The fire
department was dispatched at 6:59 a.m. According to Stevenson, an interior entry crew was inside
the house by 7:10 a.m. No sooner had they begun to pour water onto the fire in the second floor
than they had to evacuate. “The second floor ceiling started to collapse. We got everybody out of
there. No house is worth losing a firefighter over,” said Stevenson. Instead the department
attacked the fire from the outside, pouring water in through the roof in what Stevenson called
“defensive fire mode.’ The fire was controlled enough within a half hour that crews were put back
inside to finally put the fire out. “We only had a handful of people for those first 20 minutes,” said
Stevenson. “But eventually we had 30 fire fighters there.” Paulsboro Fire Marshal Dan Berth said
that no one was in the house when the fire crew arrived. Berth said the house was built from wood
with an “older balloon” construction, which may have had something to do with why the fire
spread so quickly. “There are your outside wall and your inside,” said Berth. “But no fire breaks
between the floors in this kind of construction. The walls were open from the cellar up to the attic.
When fire gets into those kinds of walls, it spreads very rapidly.” The initial attack crew of Deputy
Chief Mike Licciardello, Captain Tom Foley and firefighter Dave Horner pulled an attack line
from Engine 1711 to fight the fire. Dan Berth operated the truck. Ladder 2116 was supplied by
Engine 1721. Berth said no one was seriously injured, though one firefighter from Paulsboro, Fred
Buri, did hurt his back while moving a ladder. Also assisting the Paulsboro Fire Department in
fighting the fire were the Gibbstown, East Greenwich, Thorofare, Repaupo, Westville and
Woolwich fire companies. Crews were on the scene till 10 a.m.
TO BE CONTINUED……………………………………………………………….
LARGE ARTICLE SECTION
I.P. THOMAS FIRE 8/22/1897
FIRE SWEEPS TOWN, CHURCH BURNS 5/3/1909
POST OFFICE FIRE 12/9/1909
FERTILIZER PLANT FIRE / LG. BARN FIRE 1916
14 COTTAGES DESTROYED BY FIRE 8/29/1926
E.G. MILLER LUMBERYARD FIRE 8/29/1926
SANDURA FIRE / COUNCIL TO BUY TRUCK 1928
WOMEN RESCUED / NEW RULES FOR FD 1929
HILL THEATRE FIRE 2/18/1930
NEW PLANS FOR FD FROM CHIEF 7/11/1930
3 FIRES CAUSE DAMAGE / NEW FIREMAN 1930
4 BELL CHILDREN DIE IN FIRE 3/18/1932
NEW FIRE CODE / RADIO REMARKS 1932
STORE & FACTORY DAMAGED IN FIRE 1/10/1933
BON-TON STORE FIRE 11/29/1933
LG. SANDURA PLANT FIRE 2/8/1934
SHIRT FACTORY FIRE 11/22/1934
BARGE EXPLODES; TWO DIE 12/24/1935
BOWLING ALLEY & STORE FIRE 1/24/1937
4 RESCUED FROM BUILDING FIRE 1/10/1938
FLAMES SWEEP COOMBS LUMBERYARD 12/22/1938
3 KILLED IN ACCIDENT / CHILD DROWNS 1943
GETZ STORE FIRE / HOME EXPLODES 1944 & 1946
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BAR & STORE DESTROYED / HOME DESTROYED 1950
2 MEN DIE IN SHACK FIRE 2/29/1952
BOY DROWNS IN CREEK 6/27/1952
COOMBS LUMBERYARD FIRE 4/29/1956
TWO CHILDREN DIE IN FIRE 2/9/1957
FIVE HOMES DESTROYED / DIMEDIO FIRE 1958
TWO CHILDREN DIE IN FIRE 8/18/1959
MAN DIE IN PLANT EXPLOSION 1/27/1960
PAULSBORO FIREHOUSE BURNS DOWN 4/13/1962
CHILD DIES IN FIRE / SIX HOMES DESTROYED 1967 & 1968
THREE CHILDREN DROWN 6/1/1969
BOY DIES IN FIRE 1/21/1971
FIRE DESTROYS TAVERN & APTS. 10/28/1972
FIRE DESTROYS DELAWARE ST. BLOCK 12/22/1974
3 BROAD ST. STORES DESTROYED BY FIRE 8/8/1976
GIRLS DIE IN BEACON & THOMSON AVE. FIRES 1979
TANK FIRE AT MOBIL REFINERY 6/28/1979
FIRE KILSS THREE CHILDREN 1/8/1980
WORKERS FLEE EXPLOSION 4/28/1981
FIRE RIPS THROUGH APARTMENTS 7/24/1991
I. P. THOMAS FACTORY
DESTROYED BY FIRE
The most disastrous fire that has visited Gloucester County for years occurred Sunday
morning when the I. P. Thomas Company phosphate works plant, at Mantua Point in Paulsboro,
was destroyed by flames, entailing a loss estimated at $250,000.
The plant, covering ten acres of ground, is situated on the banks of the Mantua Creek, about a
mile and a half from the railroad station.
The plant manufactures fertilizer, and its destruction at this time means a serious loss to
the firm and employees, as this is the busiest season of the year. Work forces night and day have
been working extra shifts for two weeks to fill orders.
When the flames were discovered, the only persons on the grounds were the four
watchmen. The whistle was blown quickly to summon the employees from their homes, and in
less than twenty minutes nearly a hundred workmen were battling with the flames.
Owing to the combustible nature of the contents, and the long line of buildings, it was
impossible to stop the progress of the fire and soon the great plant was a roaring furnace.
The flames originated in a pile of refuse in the north western section of the grounds. A
fire had been smoldering in this for days and a watchful eye had been kept on the smoldering
bones and hides.
Sunday morning, shortly before six o’clock, the watchman patrolling the western section
of the grounds, noticed a puff of smoke soon followed by flames. By the time the alarm was
sounded, the flames had ignited the acid house. The flames ate their way through the frame roof
and a stiff north wind fanned the fire until the big frame structures were doomed.
Several lines of hose were attached to the plugs around the yard, but owing to the heat,
the men were unable to get close enough to the burning plant to do effective work. Before seven
o’clock, the buildings, including the mixing department, boiler room, acid house, engine house
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and all their contents were totally destroyed.
While the flames were at their height, the schooner “Mary Bacon”, loaded with South
Carolina stone and lying at the wharf, took fire and the crew, consisting of the captain, his wife
and son, and a mate, had to narrowly escape death. The flames ignited the rigging, and the sails
and mast were soon enveloped in flames.The crew started for the deck from the cabin when the
masts gave way. The burning debris crashed on the deck with a portion of the rigging falling on
the fleeing crew, who fortunately reached the side of the vessel and leaped into the yawl boat.
The burning vessel was cut loose from the wharf, and several tugs quickly put in from the river
and worked to save the vessel from destruction. They succeeded in extinguishing the flames after
the craft was dismantled and her deck badly burned. A section of the wharf was also destroyed by
the intense flames.
The plant was erected in 1880 and a prosperous business has been carried on. Several
additions have been made and more improvements were being contemplated at the time of the
fire.
Large crowds of spectators were drawn to the scene of the conflagration which burned
unceasingly nearly all day. Huge volumes of smoke were visible for miles. The awful odor
emitted from the burning debris did not allow anyone near for a close inspection of the fire for
some time.
August 22, 1897
FIRE SWEEPS PAULSBORO
CHURCH AND 3 BUILDINGS DESTROYED
A fierce fire broke out in Paulsboro yesterday around 12:05 in the afternoon, at the residence of
Leonard Pratz. The high wind caused the flames to spread rapidly, and Pratz’s home, on Chestnut Street
near the railroad, was soon burned to the ground as well as his new bowling alley and dance hall. The
Episcopal Church and shed s were also burned to the ground as was Gill Hannold's barn.
When the alarm was given, Benjamin Johnson, who was driving a dirt wagon, started to run his
horses for the Paulsboro Fire House to hitch them to the fire wagon , and in the run Mr. Johnson fell off the
wagon head foremost into the road, but was not severely injured.
As soon as the fire broke out, word was sent to the Powder Works for help and nearly every
employee left his post and started for Paulsboro to help fight the flames. They brought fifteen hundred feet
of hose with them.
Fred Pratz, son of Leonard Pratz, was badly burned about the face and arms, while in the act of
removing some good from the house.
The wind happened to change about 2 o’clock which saved a great deal of hard work and some
houses.
Frank Prasch has two houses along side of Pratz and they were on fire twice, but the boys
succeeded in extinguishing them both times.
Mr. Pratz had the roof of his pool room covered with tap paper and when the paper caught fire, a
large piece blew over and landed on the Episcopal Church, which the building was then destroyed by the
fire.
In the rear of the church is the wagon sheds and Gill Hannold’s large barn which were soon
consumed by the flames.
Emma Clifford’s house, which is located on Washington Street, about 25 feet from Pratz’s pool
room, was also on fire, but that blaze was soon extinguished by the bucket brigades.
When William Miller’s house was discovered on fire, Edward Farley and Joseph Carson climbed
upon the roof and with the assistance of a number of boys, they soon had it under control. Robert
Gudbranson soon had all the goods carried from the house and had them in safe keeping. Had this blaze
gotten beyond control, without a doubt the whole street would have been wiped out.
Fire Chief W. H. Lamson was out of town at the time of the fire and it was a wise thing in Gill
Hannold, assistant fire chief, when he phoned for assistance.A number of boys were badly cut and burned
while removing the furniture from the church.
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When the houses of William Mullen and Mrs. Campbell took fire, people started to carry furniture
out of their houses, as they thought that it would reach them.
The fire was in Pratz’s house and was caused by the boiling over of a pot of hot pitch, which Mr.
Pratz had on the stove. He tried to extinguish it with water, but this made it worse and before he had time to
call for help, the house was a mass of flames. The wind was blowing at a fierce gale at the time and the
house along with the pool room and bowling alley soon burned to the ground.
The Paulsboro Fire Company was soon on the scene, as well as the Billingsport Company and
while they, assisted by about 100 citizens including men, boys, girls and women, were fighting this fire,
four other houses and two barns were on fir and it was at this point when Mr. Hannold phoned for help.
Frank Ale, who was overcome with smoke, was up on a ladder and was using the hose on the
church and was seen to be gasping for his breath and was hurried down. He was taken home but by the end
of the day had recovered.Harry Baumblatt's barn was afire three different times, but the women’s bucket
brigade put it out every time.
There is a four inch water main on Commerce Street and nine streams of water flowing from it
kept the water pressure inadequate.
The house of Frank Scott and Henry Montgomery were saved by By Mrs. Charles Stanley and
Mrs. Abbie Bennett, who climbed on the roofs of the houses with buckets of water and extinguished the
blazes.
At 2:15 p.m., after heroic work work by the firemen and citizens of Paulsboro, and neighboring
fire companies, the fire was extinguished and all the danger of further conflagration brought to an end.
The Paulsboro and Billingsport firemen did very good work along with the Woodbury, Clarksboro
and Gibbstown fire companies, and saved thousands of dollars of property from the fire.
May 3, 1909
PAULSBORO POST OFFICE
GUTTED BY FIRE
Mail and Contents of
Store a Total Loss,
Incendiaries Suspected
Paulsboro had another big fire last night which again threatened the borough with destruction,
but the fact that the water pressure was first class, and the prompt response of the fire companies,
which did even more than could be expected of them, saved the place from a great conflagration and
confined the flames to the building in which the blaze originated from.
About 9:45 p.m., Horace Polis, who was on his way to Buohl’s Hotel, saw smoke in the street
and on entering the hotel, he asked where the smoke was coming from. A number of men who were in
the hotel at the time rushed out into the street and saw smoke issuing from the eaves of the store of
Wilson Gill, in which the Post Office was also located. The men ran up the street shouting “fire”. In a
short time the greater portion of the 3,000 inhabitants were on the scene.
The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies quickly responded to the alarm and soon had
streams of water playing on the flames. The fire is believed to have started close to the desk in the
Post Office section of the building.
In the mean time, Postmaster Gill, who had retired for the night, was notified at his home on
Commerce Street and phoned for the Clarksboro and Woodbury fire departments. Clarksboro arrived
about 10:30 p.m., and Woodbury soon after, both making good time in their chemical wagons. Neither
company went into action as the local companies had the fire under control. The firemen worked
tirelessly until about 1 a.m., when William Hunter and John Wilkerson were left in charge.
The flames made rapid headway through the building and it wasn’t long after they were
discovered that the fire had reached the second floor. Not withstanding that the firemen had fought
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heroically, the third floor also took fire and much difficulty was had in keeping the flames from
spreading to the adjoining buildings. A tin roof covered the old shingles and the blaze burst through
several times before they were extinguished.
The firemen fought like beavers and most of them were drenched to the skin, the cold weather
adding misery by freezing their clothes stiff. Several received minor cuts and bruises, but none were
seriously injured.
The store goods consisting of groceries, dry goods and hardware was a total loss, as what was
not burned was damaged by smoke and water. With the exception of the registered mail, which was in
a safe, all the mail was destroyed.
Mr. Gill left the building at 8:30 p.m. and everything was in the usual condition. It is believed
to be the work of an incendiary as there was a very light fire in the stove and no known cause could be
given. Leon Reeves, who was employed as a clerk in the building, was at the home of Joe Moreland,
two doors west at the time the fire started. The two men heard a noise which sounded like a slight
explosion and ran out to the street, but seeing nothing, they went back into the house. In about five
minutes they went back outside a second time and saw the smoke and the men from the hotel.
Too much credit cannot be given to the firemen as they did such good work that a house
which was connected to the store, and belonging to Mr. Gill, was kept from catching afire.
The Billingsport company made the run from their firehouse in five minutes from the time the
alarm was turned in, and Assistant Fire Chief Dan Pote, in the absence of Chief’s Sheets, from
Billingsport, and Lamson, from Paulsboro, who were both out of town, directed the firemen with a
system which aided considerably in the good work.
December 9, 1909
FERTILIZER PLANT SWEPT BY FIRE
ESTIMATED LOSS AT $200,000
The large plant of the I. P. Thomas & Sons Co., fertilizer manufacturer, was destroyed last night by a
raging fire.
Within an hour after the fire started, only the powder house, acid warehouse, blacksmith and
machine shops remained of the buildings which originally covered ten acres. It is believed that the loss will
be close to $200,000 according to the amount of salvage of raw materials, some of which is said, would be
little damaged by the fire.
The fire started at 5:20 p.m. in a mixing machine. Five minutes later the entire building was a
furnace. From there the flames went to adjoining buildings and in a half-hour, none of them was much
more than wreckage.
The blaze began in a new building which was occupied only three weeks ago. The structure was
built entirely of steel supports with corrugated iron sheathing. When the workman at the machine, where
the fire started, detected the unusual heat, he gave the alarm. Instantly every man in the great structure
made a dash for the outside.
A moment later a sheet of flame burst through the machine. This ignited a quantity of nitrate soda
nearby and great waves of flames rolled through the building in each direction.
For an instant it was thought the fire could be controlled with little loss. Three lines of hose were
run in from the Delaware River, while the company’s chemical apparatus was rushed into the building from
the shore side. The apparatus was fully manned, but the men were driven from the structure a few moments
later and were forced to leave their fire fighting machines behind as prey to the flames. When the fire died
down somewhat, the fire fighting equipment was found to be twisted and broken among the ruins.
From the first building, flames swept to the next building which was entirely built of wood. This
building was wiped out in a short time. In the interim, the flames leaped across an open space and attacked
the office building, driving the clerks and others to abandon their efforts to save the company’s books and
records. A stable was also destroyed although the horses were saved.
While the Paulsboro and Billingsport firemen were battling with the blaze to keep it from the acid
storage plant, and the power plant from which they were obtaining big assistance through the operation of
the company’s fire pumps, calls were sent to Woodbury, Thorofare and several other nearby towns for help.
All responded with their apparatus and manpower, but without result.
The explosions which were almost continuous, could be heard in Woodbury all evening, and
heavy black smoke could be seen blowing in a northerly direction until dark.
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The two main buildings destroyed were the general manufacturing works of the company. Because
of the destruction of the office and all the books, it is probable that the exact loss will never be known.
October 20, 1916
----------------------------------------------------------------------
3 BARNS DESTROYED IN FIRE
Last evening fire destroyed the barns of William Gill, B. Frank Furry and Samuel Haines, near
Commerce Street in Paulsboro. The fire started about 7:30 p.m. in the hay mow of the Gill barn, and it was
soon a mass of flames.
Howard Miller, who lives at Buck and Commerce, a short distance from the scene of the fire, was
the first to arrive there. But, the fire had made such headway that he was unable to rescue the three horses,
valued at $600 and belonging to Edgar Harker, a teamster, that were stabled there.It is supposed that a
tramp in the hay mow is responsible for the fire. A quantity of hay and machinery was destroyed. The only
thing that was saved is a wagon belonging to Harker.
In the Furry barn was stored automobiles, trucks, oil and gasoline, but this was removed before the
fire reached it. Most of the property including a horse, cow and machinery was removed out of the Haines
barn.The Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were soon in service and held the fire to the barns. A
strong wind carried flying embers to nearby houses and to the lumberyard, but firemen were stationed at
these points which prevented any damage. The Clarksboro and Woodbury fire companies were called and
went into service, although the fire was under control when they arrived to assist the local firemen.The
Borough Council is considering better fire protection, alarm systems and fire pumps.
December 11, 1916
FOURTEEN COTTAGES
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Firemen Subdue Stubborn Blaze,
Fire of unknown origin which raged on the Delaware Riverfront at Paulsboro, for more than
four hours yesterday afternoon, burned to the ground 14 summer bungalows, and damaged a threestory house.
Fanned by a 60 mph gale from the river, the fire gained considerable headway before the fire
engines arrived. The firemen were greatly handicapped by the cold winds, the water freezing almost as
soon as it spurted from the nozzles. Only one of the bungalows was occupied. It was the home of
Michael Callahan, caretaker of the beachfront homes, who attempted frantically to remove his
belongings but only succeeded in carrying out a few pieces of furniture before the dwelling was gutted
by fire. Efforts of the firemen to save some of the buildings proved fruitless and the best they could do
was to play water on the blaze. While pumping water from the frozen river, the Gibbstown Fire
Company’s truck became disabled and had to be removed. The Mount Royal Fire Company took its
place on the beach.
Walter Stines, Assistant Chief of the Billingsport Fire Company, was burned about the face
and hands and had to be removed to his home. Captain Charles Hohlweg and firemen Harry Miller,
John Woodwell and Clarence Pfeiffer were overcome with smoke. Andrew Woodward, of the
Gibbstown company, was treated for burns by Chief Sinexon. James Brennan, a member of the
Billingsport company, was taken to Underwood Hospital, in Woodbury, for an injured ankle he
obtained when a fire truck backed up over his foot.
The alarm was sent in by Mrs. John Green, a storekeeper living several houses from the scene
of the blaze. She told firemen she had been waiting on a customer when she saw flames shooting from
the roof of the “Magnolia” bungalow. She ran at once to the phone in the store of Jacob Hughes, on
Billingsport Road, and called for the Paulsboro fire companies. Mt. Royal, Gibbstown and Clarksboro
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were then soon after called.
Driven by Mayor John J. Vanneman, the Paulsboro apparatus was the first to reach the scene.
Although the firemen fought desperately to save some pf the furniture, the blaze had gained to much
headway. In less than half an hour, all the clothing of the firemen was coated with ice. The
surrounding streets were lined with automobiles filled with citizens ready to rush any one injured to
the hospital.
The majority of the cottages and clubs that were destroyed were owned by private
individuals, who spent the summer at the shore and only came down here over the weekend in the
winter time. The bungalows have been a landmark for more than 60 years.It’s thought that the blaze
had its origin in the Wilson Club, owned by Mickey Stimmel, with a spark from the chimney.
Miss Jennie Jones and her mother were highly complimented by the firemen for their splendid
efforts in catering to the cold and almost frozen firefighters. The ladies served hot coffee while the
blaze was razing everything in it way. The firemen were certainly grateful to the ladies.
All that greets the eye of the casual observer a day after the fire are twisted pots and pans,
iron beds, several burned pianos and other wrecked furniture, while the bricks from the foundations
and chimneys are all scattered over the area. The three-story home of Fredrick Well was also damaged
by the fire.“This fire shows all the more need for a new fire alarm system for Paulsboro,” said Mayor
Vanneman. “I mean to bring it up at the next meeting of the borough council. Had a fire alarm been
available near the riverfront, we would have been able to save a number of the buildings,” he
concluded.
January 28, 1926
DISASTROUS BLAZE AT
E.G. MILLER LUMBERYARD
PAULSBORO THREATENED WITH
DESTRUCTION! WIND SAVES TOWN
One of the largest fires in years took place on Sunday when the E. G. Miller Lumber Yard at the
foot of East Broad Street caught fire from an unknown source. The fire was discovered by Agnes Franz, a
neighbor, at 10:15 in the morning, when she saw smoke rolling away from a shed, then saw flames coming
through the roof.
Making a quick run to the blaze, the Paulsboro and Billing-sport fire companies arrived to see the
yard in a mass of flames. Both local companies did heroic work in trying to stop the spread of the flames,
but the fire was beyond control at that time.
A general alarm was broadcast throughout the county. In less than an hour the road to Paulsboro
was clogged with fire apparatus.
Fire companies from three counties responded to the general alarm. In all 32 companies responded
to the aid of the local fire department. One of Camden’s engines made a spectacular run from that city,
being led all the way by police motor cycles, to Paulsboro in 19 minutes. Fire Chief Tom Nichols, of
Camden, took charge of the apparatus and volunteer companies and soon after the flames, that had
enveloped the yard, were checked.
A number of engines were on the bridge over the Mantua Creek playing streams of water on the
Lincoln Gasoline storage facility and Friars gasoline station, which were threatened all the time that the fire
raged with destruction. It is reported that both gas companies had over 300,000 gallons of gasoline stored in
their tanks. If these tanks caught fire and exploded, a tremendous amount of damage would have been
suffered and no doubt, many lives would have been lost.
Gellenthin’s coal yard caught on fire many times, but the consistent work of the firemen from 11
o’clock in the morning until late in the afternoon saved the large piles of coal, although much damage was
suffered by the Gellenthin Brothers.
The fumes thrown off by the wet lime, mixed with smoke, overcame a number of firemen. Many
fell unconscious on duty and were given aid. A number were rushed to the Underwood Hospital.
For hours a steady stream of water was poured on thousands of feet of lumber, which was totally
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destroyed. Many other buildings went up in flames, but the firemen saved the main office and the residence
of Mr. Paul Miller along with the nearby Paulsboro Hotel.
As soon as the fire reached serious proportions, a phone message was sent to Paul Miller who was
spending his vacation in Ocean City. Mr. Miller made a record run to Paulsboro and threw his home open
to the injured and to the ladies who furnished the men with coffee and sandwiches.A rough estimate of the
damage is well over $200,000.
The ladies of the community deserve sincere compliments for the splendid work that they did all
during the fire. Coffee and sandwiches were made and served to the firemen. The merchants and all of
those who donated food to the courageous firemen have been blessed many times by the hungry men.
A call was sent to Philadelphia for a fire tug. Two responded but could not get near the scene
because of the low tide. One of the boats was stuck in the mud at the mouth of the creek.
But for the southerly winds that blew the flames over the creek, the town of Paulsboro would
today have been nothing but ashes.
Traffic was tied up for several hours. The scheduled runs of the Public Service buses were
discontinued and all traffic south was diverted to the Salem Pike, as the heat was so intense over the bridge
and on Broad Street near the burning yard, that it was impossible to go across the bridge. The hose lines
also prevented cars from coming into Paulsboro.
Policemen were required to check the curious who were at the scene by the hundreds. People on
their way to the shore stopped and gazed at the flames that were doing such destructive work.
The firemen from both the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies did splendid work and were
on the job all night on long. On Monday, the fire broke out again in several places, but the flames were
soon subdued.
August 29, 1926
FIRE DESTROYS BUILDING
AT SANDURA PLANT
Plant Employees Extinguish Flames
Estimate Loss At $2000 - Blaze Occurs in Paint Shop
Loss estimated to be over $2000 was incurred in a fire at the Sandura Plant today. Several hundred
gallons of oil, shellac, paint and varnish went up in smoke, while the building in which they were stored was
totally destroyed by the flames. No one was injured and the fire was kept from spreading through the plant only
by the hard work of scores of employees, who fought the blaze under the direction of plant management.
The blaze was discovered shortly before 9 o’clock by a workman in the building, and it is thought to
have started through spontaneous combustion. In a few moments containers filled with heavy oil were blazing
and throwing out thick black clouds of smoke. Only one man is employed in the building and he made his escape
through the flames after having been liberally splattered with flaming oil and paint.
A 500 - gallon tank, not 15 feet from the building and on the outside platform, raised on stilts to the
level of the roof, was in constant danger of exploding and workmen kept a steady stream of water on it to keep it
cool. Several 55 - gallon drums of inflammable content were also laying on the platform. Aside from a minor
explosion soon after the fire was discovered, none of the explosive material in sealed containers exploded. It is
probablehave been injured if these drums and the tank would have gone up.
The building itself, located at the far northern section of the plant, was constructed of corrugated iron
and for a time the flames were retained in the structure. Soon the wooden supports holding the roof burned away,
and amid a shower of sparks and a steadily thickening cloud of smoke, the roof fell through into the fire. The
flames rapidly mounted higher and workmen with 4 lines of hose were hard at work until the fire had died down
considerably. In a few moments the water began to have it’s effect on the flames and by 9:30 the fire was nearly
extinguished. A few pots of paint and oil were still blazing on what was left of the floor and stray wisps of smoke
spiraled up from the burning building.
Borough firemen were not called, as the Sandura Company has its own trained crew of fire fighters and
its own equipment. An effort to stop the blaze at its start by hand extinguishers failed and workmen dropped
them and ran for safety when a small can of oil exploded. It was then that the whistle was blown and the men of
the plant manned the hoses. Several hydrants are located throughout the plant and to these the hoses were
connected.Mr. Stuart, manager of the plant, could not be found to make a statement concerning the fire and other
officials would not. It is believed that the blaze will not seriously affect work at the establishment and no one will
be thrown out of employment.
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SEPT. 7, 1928
------------------------------------
COUNCIL FAVORS BUYING
AMERICAN LaFRANCE
BILLINGSPORT FIREMEN MAY PROTEST CHOICE
Council is expected to award contracts for 2 new pieces of fire apparatus at next Tuesday’s session. Bids were
received from 6 bidders, at which time it was announced that the awards on both the fire apparatus and fire alarm
system would be made. It has been learned unofficially that a vote was taken at an executive session to purchase
2 American LaFrance fire engines for the amount of $10,000 as it was the lowest bid submitted.
The Billingsport company strongly favors the Seagrave apparatus. Their bid came in at $13,000. The
Paulsboro company favors the American LaFrance. As a result of this, the Billingsport company is expected to
attend the next meeting and protest council’s contemplated purchase of the LaFrance’s.
The argument advanced by the Billingsport firemen is a technical one. They contend that a LaFrance
500 - gallon pumper will not stand the strain of long continuous pumping at the 500 gallon limit. It will overheat
they say.The Paulsboro firemen say that there is no need in Paulsboro for such an expensive apparatus as the
Seagraves at $6500 each.More conservative firemen have been heard to frequently express the opinion that there
is little or no need for the big expensive apparatus except for show purposes or to win fire parade prizes.
Individual councilmen have stated that after many tests that they have no decided preferences but are
influenced mostly by the question of expenditure. It is their desire to provide the best fire protective apparatus for
the borough with the least possible expenditure of funds.
AUGUST 1st, 1928
FIRE DAMAGES STORE;
WOMAN RESCUED BY FIREMEN
ESTIMATED DAMAGE OF FIRE AT $5000
Firemen Save Mrs. Greenberg From Sick Bed On Second Floor
A woman confined to bed with a serious illness, was rescued from a smoke filled apartment here
yesterday morning by Billingsport and Paulsboro firemen, while flames on the floor below caused an
estimated damage of $5000 to the building and its contents. The fire, in a large concrete block building
owned by Pasquale Benevento, at Delaware and Capitol streets, started from a backfire in a heater soon
after a fresh supply of coal had been placed in the fire box.
The store was tenanted by Benjamin Greenberg, a grocer. Mrs. Greenberg, confined to a bed, was
in the apartment above, and helpless, when smoke began seeping under the doors and through the walls.
Greenberg attempted to rescue his wife but was cut off by a wall of flame enveloping the stairs to the
second floor. Firemen placed a ladder to a second floor window and carried Mrs. Greenberg to safety and
then took her to the home of Charles Stanley, on Delaware Street below the high school. She suffered no ill
effects beyond fright.
Mr. Greenberg discovered the fire shortly before 10 o’clock in the morning. He summoned the
firemen and then tried to get his wife from the blazing building.
Paulsboro and Billingsport Fire Companies responded to a general alarm and extinguished the
blaze before it reached the living quarters above the store, although this section of the building was badly
damaged by the clouds of dense black smoke from the burning refuse in the cellar.
It is thought by firemen and Benevento that the blaze started from a backfire of coal gas in the
heating system of the building. Live ashes are thought to have been strewn over the pile of boxes and other
refuse, and the blaze had assumed a fairly large proportion before customers in the store smelled the smoke.
The flooring in the store proper was badly damaged by the flames and according to the owner, will
have to be rebuilt. A large icebox in one corner was attacked by the flames and was totally destroyed. The
fact that the building is of cement block construction, with brick inner walls, probably prevented a more
serious loss.Two large plate glass windows, in the store front, were broken by the intense heat and every
window in the place was broken.
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DEC. 27, 1929
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
COUNCIL ADOPTS NEW F. D. RULES
The Paulsboro Council approved and adopted a new set of rules governing the local fire department at their
last meeting. The rules are as follows:
1. The officers of the Fire Dept. shall be known as the Chief and Assistant Chief’s.
2. All matters relative to fire prevention or fire fighting shall be referred to the officers of the F. D., and
shall be under their control and supervision.
3. The ranking officer elected by each company, for active duty, shall be known as the Captain and his first
assistant as his lieutenant.
4. The active firemen elected by the companies to drive and operate the fire apparatus must be approved by
the Assistant Chief and the Chief.
5. Every driver of the fire apparatus must possess and show upon request his driver’s license.
6. No fire apparatus shall be taken outside of the Borough’s limits except for actual fire service, or
necessary repairs, or for some unforeseen necessity; and then only with the approval and consent of the
Borough Fire Chief.
7. All needed repairs to the fire apparatus shall be reported to the Assistant Chief of that company.
8. Requisition for equipment or supplies shall be made through the Assistant Chief to the Borough Fire
Chief.
9. Upon the alarm of fire within the Borough’s limits, only the company within the district where the fire is
located shall respond. The officer in charge shall send in a second alarm for the other company should he
deem it necessary to put the conflagration under control.
10. In the event of the absence of the Fire Chief or Assistant’s, the ranking officer shall take charge.
OCT. 25, 1929
LARGE AUDIENCE FLEES
TO SAFETY AS FIRE
DAMAGES HILL’S THEATRE
$15,000 DAMAGE TO HILL’S THEATRE
Fire in the Projection Room Spreads to Theatre - Audience Leaves Without Panic
Eight hundred people fled to safety, without panic, last Monday night in a $15,000 fire which
damaged Hill’s Theatre.The blaze would have destroyed a large part of the business section on Broad Street
had it not been for the prompt and efficient work of the local firemen.
An audience of 800 men, women and children, at the cry of fire, rushed for the exits. There was
crying and excitement but no panic as the crowd poured out of the theatre with fire sirens blowing an alarm
to volunteer firemen throughout the borough.
Herbert Hill, manager of the theatre, sustained severely burned hands when in an effort to curb the
flames, he threw two blazing rolls of film from the projection room to the street below.
One man was overcome by smoke. Another fell from a high ledge on the building. A local woman
fainted in the theatre when the alarm was given. Three women fainted after they had gained the outside due
to excitement. These were the only injuries.
Hundreds of residents crowded Broad Street, near the theatre, as firemen fought the stubborn
flames licking their way from the front of the building to the rear. Every available piece of apparatus and
every foot of hose was utilized by Fire Chief Sinexon.Reports of a panic stricken crowd, which appeared in
metropolitan papers, were badly exaggerated. Neither the local authorities nor the theatre manager have
received reports of injuries sustained by anyone in the audience in leaving the building.
The blaze started in the projection room when a small piece of film became caught in the picture
machine. This ignited the film in the machine and jumped to other rolls.Manager Hill sensed trouble in the
projection room when he noticed the picture appeared to be cloudy on the screen. He dashed to the room
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where Clarence Porch was in charge. Hill had no sooner entered the room than the film caught fire.
Instantly 2 other rolls became ignited. Hill picked up the burning film and threw it to the street, suffering
severe burns to his hands.
Smoke began to emit from the ventilators on top of the theatre building. Ernest Wolfarth,
employed at the Remington Pharmacy, observed the smoke and turned in an alarm.
The Paulsboro Company responded immediately, while a Billingsport engine was held up at the
railroad tracks by a freight train. The Paulsboro firemen ran their hose lines from the front and poured
thousands of gallons of water into the interior, while the Billingsport firemen fought the fire from the rear.
When the firemen arrived the flames had eaten their way from the front of the building to the
fourth ventilator. There are five ventilators on the building. The fire was raging between the ceiling and the
roof.Within 15 minutes after arriving on the scene of the fire, Chief Sinexon and the firemen had the blaze
under control. Water was poured through the ventilators and the front and back of the building. The flames
had started to come down the side walls and destroyed a large part of the ceiling.
The efficient work of the firemen and the asbestos roof undoubtedly curbed the spreading of the
flames. Surrounding buildings were endangered and a large part of the business section might have been
wiped out without the proper fire fighting facilities and the hard work of the firemen.
Emery Zaley, of Washington Street, was thrown from a ledge near the roof by the force of the
water. He hit the concrete pavement but sustained only minor bruises. Edward Langford, of Billings
Avenue, was overcome by smoke. Vito Patton, of Repaupo, sustained a minor cut.
The theatre had been rented to the Italian Film Company and a special feature was being shown to
an audience with a large number of local Italians.
A. W. Hill, is the owner of the building and his son, Herbert, manages the theatre. Mr. Hill
purchased the building from Joseph Bailey about 14 years ago.Two nearly new projection machines were
damaged beyond repair. They were recently purchased at a cost of $2500 apiece. Damage to the building is
estimated at $5000 and to the interior decorations and equipment over $2000. An $11,000 pipe organ was
partially damaged.Mr. Hill has made no decision up to this morning as to whether he will repair the
building or erect a new theatre.
February 18, 1930
CHIEF SINEXON TELLS BORO SOLONS
OF NEW PLAN FOR FIRE DEPT.
WILL UTILIZE CODE SYSTEM FOR ALARMS
Announcement of plans for the utilization of all of the fire apparatus to give the best protection to the
borough was made at last Tuesday's council session by Fire Chief Dr. H. Sinexon.
Accompanying this announcement was the statement by Councilman Rule, chairman of Public
Safety, that efforts were being made to sell one of the new LaFrance engines. He also expressed hope that
Billingsport would accept the engine.
Mayor Wert gave the privilege of the floor to Chief Sinexon. The chief quoted from the borough
ordinance showing that it was within his power to operate the local department as he saw fit so long as it
did not conflict with the measures already approved by council.
Chief Sinexon pointed out that under the rules only one of the two local fire companies should
respond to the first alarm of fire. Each company should respond to the calls from its own district. If
necessary a second alarm is to be turned in when the other company is to respond.
It has been impossible in the past to enforce this rule since the code system has not yet been placed
in operation, the chief said. However, this will soon be done and he outlined the plan under which it would
operate.
“At the present time the Billingsport Company is not adequately equipped to fight certain fires
having refused to It was explained by the chief that the Billingsport pumper was not the type of apparatus
for fires of a smaller nature. He illustrated this point by explaining that at one fire which this company
extinguished, the damage by fire was $250, while the water damage was about $1900.
The two new pieces of apparatus, which are identical and one of which has been refused by the
Billingsport Company, were purchased particularly for this reason. The booster tanks on these trucks are
utilized for such small fires when no water supply is available, he said.
“Since it is up to me to take care of this situation, and since there should be some protection of this
kind down there, I propose to have one of the trucks with a booster to assist Billingsport”.
The chief said that by having the Paulsboro Company take one of the new trucks to the
Billingsport district whenever there is a fire there, it will provide adequate protection. This plan will be
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carried out as long as Billingsport is without this type of apparatus, he stated.
“I didn’t want to go ahead with this until I had talked this matter over with you and that is the
reason I am here tonight,” concluded Chief Sinexon.
“Why was it necessary for Paulsboro to take out all the apparatus last night” asked Councilman
Rule, referencing to the grass fire on Monday night when both new trucks were driven to the fire.
“We thought it was necessary,” replied the chief.
“Why was this not done before?” came back Rule.
“We didn’t have the hose before,” answered Sinexon, adding that “it was a good thing we had it last night
for the water supply was some distance away.”
“Billingsport thinks the old chemical could be fixed up for $200.” said Rule.
“They haven’t wanted it for three years and they stripped it,” asserted the chief.
When the chief was asked why not just store the new truck in Billingsport, he replied that “they
refused to do it”.
Here Councilman Armstrong took part in the conversation saying,”I was in council last year and
my impression was that instructions were given to use the truck after Billingsport refused it. I know of no
councilmanic action to countermand this order and I do not think the chief should be censured. I think it is
up to the chief to determine whether the apparatus should be used.”
In answer to a question, Chief Sinexon said it was true he would seek an injunction
against the sale of the truck if it were the plan to then spend $6600 for another one. Rule then said it was
the idea to spend only about the same amount for the Billingsport truck as was spent for the Paulsboro
truck.
The chief pointed out that Billingsport had been offered any make of truck within the price range
of $500 of the cost of the LaFrance, but had refused to consider anything but a Seagrave.
Mayor Wert and council agreed that the chief’s plan seemed to be the proper way to handle the
situation. Councilman Rule complimented Sinexon by saying “I think you are a good chief.”
JULY 11, 1930
3 FIRES CAUSE $6000 DAMAGE
Local fireman answered 3 alarms on Monday and fire caused damage in the borough estimated at
over $6000. Two families were forced from their homes by the blazes. One fire is thought to have been
caused by a defective chimney, while no origin could be determined on the other. Firemen of both
companies were called back to one fire the second time when flames broke out on the third floor.
Firemen answered the first alarm of the day at 4:30 a.m., when a family living in a home owned
by Mrs. Mary Tender, at Washington St. and Penn Line, discovered the entire basement of the place in
flames. Neighbors turned in an alarm while the family, said to be Polish, escaped in their night clothing.
When firemen arrived in the bitter cold, they found the flames had spread through the entire
structure and were forced to devote their efforts to saving other nearby houses. The Tender house, with all
it’s furnishings, was burned to the ground. Friends cared for the practically destitute family. The loss is
estimated at $5000.
The second alarm was turned in shortly after 3 o’clock in the afternoon when neighbors saw
smoke issuing from the home of Byron Harrelson, 611 Mantua Avenue. Here the fire is thought to have
started from a defective chimney on the third floor.
Mrs. Harrelson, alone in the home with an adopted child, was sick when the fireman arrived. She
ran from the burning dwelling, carrying the child, and sought refuge at the home of a neighbor. Firemen
extinguished the flames that are estimated to have caused over $1000 in damage.
An hour later they were called back when the fire again broke out in the third floor. While the hose
lines were being strung to fight the blaze, the telephone bell in the house rang several times. When a
fireman ran in to answer the phone, a voice asked where the fire was. With a laconic grunt, the fireman
replied: “Right here. Want me to give you a flame by flame description of it ?” The voice gasped and the
fireman heard a loud click as the receiver at the other end was slammed on the hoohook.
DEC. 19, 1930
------------------------------------------------------------
RAIN, SNOW, HAIL and SLEET, SMITH
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MUST BE A GOOD FIREMAN
When the fire siren blows some cold freezing morning next winter, John Smith, of 11 Washington
Street, is going to bemoan the fact that he chased local fire engines for over a year. He’ll either have to pull
the warm blankets off and take chances on a frozen nose or feet, or pay a nice fine held over his head by
Mayor J. Wert. Smith was given this unique sentence one night this week following his arrest on a charge
of obstructing the clear passage of a fire engine. Mayor Wert gave him the alternative of either paying a
heavy fine or joining the local fire company and attending every fire the company was called to for the next
year. He handed in his application.
Last Thursday night the firemen answered an alarm on Beacon Avenue, near the riverfront. A
grass fire had gotten out of control in that section and several houses were endangered by the flames, which
were swept across the field by a wind. Paulsboro Fire Company responded to the alarm and started down
Beacon Avenue. They were met with a high cloud of thick blinding dust, and the dim shape of a small
coupe could be seen a short distance ahead of the speeding truck. The firemen drew nearer and the bell was
rung. The car ahead stuck to the middle of the road. The siren was sounded. Still they were unable to pass.
Then the firemen began blowing police whistles. Still with no success. The license number was jotted down
by a fireman. The fire was extinguished and an immediate investigation was made to ascertain ownership
of the troublesome car.
It was found to be owned by Smith, and he was arrested this week by Officer Stephen Atkinson.
The hearing was held in Wert’s office and when the Mayor arrived he found 25 firemen and the defendant
crowding the room. The trial was started with Harry Myers, assistant chief, making the official complaint.
Mayor Wert asked Smith if he was guilty or not guilty. Smith pondered for a moment and said , “I
guess I am guilty Mayor. But I didn’t think I was breaking any law. I got in back of one engine then I heard
the other behind me. I couldn't pass the one ahead so I stuck where I was, in between the two of them.”
Wert declared, “You’d make a good fireman, young man. I’ll suspend sentence. You like to attend
fires and any man as faithful as you are would make good timber for the local company. If they accept you
as a member, I’ll suspend your sentence. Myers thought well of the plan and handed Smith an application.
The pseudo firemen’s face was wreathed in smiles as he stammered his thanks.
MARCH 14, 1930
FIRE TAKES LIVES OF FOUR BELL
CHILDREN WHEN HOME IS BURNED
AN OVERHEATED STOVE IS BLAMED
Officials Believe Children Suffocated By Smoke Before They Could Escape
The Grim Reaper made a stealthy swoop over sleeping Paulsboro early Friday morning and with
one sweep of a flaming scythe, severed the lifestrings held by four gasping, choking children.
In one of Paulsboro’s greatest tragedies, the children of John Bell, Crown Point Road, just over the
Mantua Creek, were killed as flames ate through their small home.
An over-heated stove is blamed for the fire. Despite heroic attempts made by neighbors, the
children were trapped in their bedroom and were suffocated in a dense pall of poisonous smoke.
The tiny bodies, horribly charred, were found by firemen after a solid wall of water had choked
the raging flames. Teresa, 13; Mary, 8; Ruth, 4; and William, 8 months, met death after their futile attempts
to find their way through the smoke had become too feeble for them even to cry for help. According to
Coroner Wendall Burkett, of Pitman, all four died of suffocation and were burned after death.
Assistant Fire Chief John Hofmann stated that composition shingles on the outer walls of the
house confined the fire to the interior. This, combined with the poisonous fumes given off by a heavy, oily,
linoleum floor covering, frustrated the attempted rescues of the children.
Dr. H. Sinexon, Fire Chief, who was out of town at the time of the fire, explained that the “fire
vapor” formed by the smoke and gas, probably exploded, igniting distant parts of the house. Firemen
declared that the effects of the smoke was noticed for several days. It was this smoke which overcame the
children and prevented their outcry.
After rousing Mrs. Bell, Charles Blackson, a neighbor, who discovered the fire, ran to the rear of
the home and attempted to reach a shed roof by using a small ladder. He was bruised about the chest when
the ladder slipped and fell to the ground. He then secured a garden hose from his home and attempted to
extinguish the blazing stair steps. J. Orens, an attendant at the Lincoln Oil Co. gas station, directly across
from the burning structure, had previously attempted to open a passageway up the stairs with 2 large fire
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extinguishers.
As their futile efforts failed, all hope of bringing out the children alive was lost. With the arrival of
firemen from the Billingsport Fire Co., the home, a seething mass of flames, was drenched with tons of
water from three streams on as many sides. While hosemen were busy playing water upon the house, other
firemen were attempting to locate the children. Ladders were placed against the side of the house near each
window until the window of the room in which the children lay was located. Although the fire by this time
was nearly extinguished, the home was still filled with smoke and gas. Hofmann, with Borough Treasurer
R. Blackson, entered the room and found the children huddled together in death in the same bed.
The four children had apparently died before the fire had been discovered. This supposition was
advanced by the fire officials. They believe that all four children were sleeping together instead of their
respective rooms when the fire broke out. The house quickly filled with poisonous gas, killing them as they
slept. The difficulty which Blackson had in rousing Mrs. Bell was caused because she was partly under the
effects of the gas, which the tiny lungs of the children could not ward off.
After aiding in the removal of the children’s bodies, Blackson was overcome by smoke and taken
from the building. It was a solemn procession which passed between the ranks of a thousand spectators.
The crowds were silent as the stretchers, covered with blankets, were brought from the home by firemen. A
side room in the gas station was the temporary resting place for the bodies. Three trips were made by the
stretcher bearers. The last trip was made with two small forms hidden under the blankets.
After the coroner had made his inspection of the bodies, they were removed in the A. B. Adams
ambulance to the Adams morgue. The ambulance had been summoned as soon as it became known that the
children were trapped in the building and it had been standing by in readiness to rush the children to a
hospital should they have been found alive. An emergency hospital was established in the Blackson home,
where all available doctors in town were summoned. Here it was that the distraught parents were treated for
severe shock and nerves. Mrs. Bell was treated for burns on her back.
March 18, 1932
MAY REVISE FIRE CODE
HERE DUE TO FATAL FIRE
MAYOR WILL PRESENT MATTER TO COUNCIL
Reports Say That Council May Discuss Redistricting Town
A suggested revision of Paulsboro’s code of fire alarm signals will be discussed at the next meeting of
Borough Council.
At this time an effort will be made to so arrange the code that a repetition of the misunderstanding,
which occurred last week, will not happen again. The misunderstanding regarding the alarm was in connection
with the Bell tragedy claiming four lives.
Mayor Wert declared this week that he would present the matter to the other borough rulers at the next
meeting, with the suggestion that action be taken to revise the existing system so that the fire company nearest
the scene of the blaze could answer the alarm.
However, in direct contrast to the attitude taken by Wert and others in that the Paulsboro Fire Company
did not respond to the call because the fire was not within the borough limits, Fire Chief H. Sinexon declared that
the existing code was “as flexible as the commanding officer’s judgement.”
Technically the fire that destroyed the home of John Bell, on Crown Point Road, just over the Mantua
Creek, was an out of town call, and under the terms of a borough ruling, Billingsport was the company to
respond. However, the Paulsboro company was only three blocks from the scene, and according to the ticker tape
punched each time a signal is blown on the siren, both alarms that were blown the night of the fire indicated that
the fires were in the borough limits.
When the Paulsboro firemen arrived at their headquarters, they learned that the fire was out of the town
limits. A few seconds later, the Billingsport firemen called to see if the Paulsboro firemen needed aid for the fire.
The riverfront company believed, from the signals blown on the siren, the fire to be within the borough. They
were told, however, that the fire was out of town and that Billingsport was the company to respond.
Ray England, night attendant at the John Reed garage, from which the signals are blown through the
medium of a small red box, in which a series of notched wheels are used, declared he inserted wheels that would
send the Paulsboro company to answer the alarm. He says, and is borne out by Assistant Fire Chief John
Hofmann, who examined the ticker tape, that the first signal should have sent firemen to Broad and Commerce
streets and the second signal blown a few minutes later, would have placed the blaze at Broad St. and the Mantua
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Creek. Further information secured by the Paulsboro company indicated that the blaze was out of town.
This month according to firemen, is one in which the Billingsport company is to respond to all out of
town calls, while the Paulsboro company stays within the borough limits in the event of a fire at home. Under the
existing fire alarm code, it would be technically in violation of the code for the Paulsboro company to have left
the town to fight the Bell fire, despite the fact that they were the nearest fire company.
APRIL 1, 1932
----------------------------------- --------------------------
RADIO REMARKS ON BELL FIRE
Borough Council, at a meeting Tuesday night, absolved the local firemen of all blame in the tragic fire
that claimed the lives of four children on March 17th. The town fathers also ordered a letter sent to Bowkes
Carter, popularly known as “The Globe Trotter,” a newspaper -radio announcer, demanding a retraction of
statements that were derogatory to Paulsboro he made in a broadcast about the Bell fire.
The local Chamber of Commerce tendered council a resolution in which the members of the business
organization declared that, after an investigation, they found that no blame could be placed on either local fire
company and urged council to ask for a retraction of Carter’s remarks.
Henry Peterson, representing the Chamber of Commerce, told council that the radio broadcaster’s
remarks were creating a disagreeable stigma on the town in general, and that no blame could be laid at the door
of the firemen.
Carter in his broadcast, declared that the local fire signal code was responsible for the death of the
children. It is reported that members of one fire company, only a short distance from the fire, were without power
to act because of the code.
Peterson declared that an investigation made by the Chamber of Commerce, the day after the fire,
showed that it was impossible for anyone to enter the building when the fire was discovered and before an alarm
had been sounded. “An experienced fire chief of a neighboring town, working as an attendant at a gasoline
station across the street, was unable to enter the building,” he said.
APRIL 8, 1932
EARLY MORNING BLAZE
DAMAGES STORE AND
FACTORY IN PAULSBORO
AGED SHOEMAKER DISCOVERS FIRE,
STORE WRECKED BY BLAZE
Cause Of Fire Not Determined By Firemen
Early discovery of a fire at a building in the heart of the business district early Tuesday morning
probably saved owners of properties in the East Broad street sector from heavy losses.
Whipped by a strong wind from the northwest, the fire would have spread to surrounding
buildings from its heart in a building at 32-34 East Broad street, where it caused $4000 in damage.
Joseph Wych, 52, a shoemaker, with a shoe repair shop at 32 E. Broad, owes his life to the smoke
which seeped underneath the bedroom door and caused him to choke in his sleep. Another man, Tom Ryan,
a night watchman, may owe his well being to the fact that he was dismissed Saturday.
Coughing and sputtering, Wych rose to get a drink of water and found the door separating his
living quarters from his shop, lit with a unpleasantly red glow.
Paulsboro firemen responded to an alarm when their district signal was blown. Dr. H. Sinexon,
borough fire chief, ordered a second alarm as soon as he arrived on the scene.
Firemen doubled their efforts to quench the thirst of the glowing flames which licked at the
contents of the shoemaker’s shop and the factory of the Paulsboro Shirt Company overhead, when they
learned that Ryan, 65, might be asleep in the factory.
Fire Chief Sinexon and Charles Little, assistant chief from the Paulsboro company, braved the
danger of being overcome by the dense smoke in the search for Ryan.
Unable to find any trace of Ryan, they returned to the street to learn that the man was discharged
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from his job last Saturday.
Hoselines were laid by both companies to all sides of the blazing, two story, concrete-block
structure. About less than 20 minutes after the first shrill fire blast that pierced the damp night air, firemen
had searched most of the building.
Hindered in their efforts by the heavy vapor and gaseous smoke pall which arose from the burning
leather and cloth, firemen were forced to don smoke masks before entering the structure. Several of the
smoke-eaters were forced to leave the building when they became partially overcome by the heat and
smoke.
One firemen, Orville Mattson, 22, of Adams Street, a member of the Paulsboro company, was
treated on the scene by first aid men for lacerations of the right hand. Mattson was injured when he thrust a
hose nozzle through a window.
Estimates of the damage from the blaze, place the loss at $4000. Wych stated that he had only
recently bought $2000 worth of leather and shoes and that the stock was ruined by the fire and water. All
the stock on hand was damaged by water and much of it was destroyed by the flames. Machinery in the
place along with other equipment, was damaged and the building, owned by Barnet Waisbain, 28 West
Broad street, was badly damaged. Thirty girls, employed at the plant in the manufacture of shirts and men’s
underwear, were thrown out of work temporarily.
Max Steinburg, of Logan Pa., manager of the factory, indicated that repairs would be started at
once, so that the factory would be placed in operation as soon as possible. Steinburg said his loss was
partially covered by insurance.
On either side of the center of the conflagration, large garages and repair shops were located. In
the rear of the structure a large frame barn and several frame dwellings, fronting on South Delaware street,
were in danger. Paul Peerman, who lives in one of the Chestnut street houses, told firemen that he had
detected the odor of smoke in the air for several hours prior to the discovery of the blaze.
Dr. Sinexon said today that the fire looked suspicious to him , with no indication of how it started.
January 10, 1933
$20,000 PAULSBORO FIRE
DAMAGES STORE BLOCK;
OFFICIALS ORDER PROBE
INCENDIARIES IS SUSPECTED
AFTER CHECKUP BY CHIEF
Firemen In Long, Hard Battle, Check Flames
Borough and county authorities started an investigation of the $20,000 fire of mysterious
origin which swept a large store building at Delaware and Monroe streets at 2:30 Sunday
morning.
The Bon Ton department store of Louis Gross, former owner of all the properties
damaged, caught fire first, firemen declared. The Walgren patent medicine store, at 801 North
Delaware St., the Paulsboro Print Shop at 805 Delaware St., and a vacant store at 807 were
damaged. The front of a two and one-half story frame dwelling on E. Monroe street, adjoining the
store properties, was also gutted.
Dr. Henry Sinexon, borough fire chief, declared this morning that he believed an
incendiary was responsible for the fire. He stated that he had detailed men to check the electric
system of the store and found everything in good shape. Dr. Sinexon summoned Nelson
Fuhrman, County Fire Marshal, to make an investigation of the case. County Detective W.
Clayton Apgar was also called in on the case Monday. Apgar and Harold Leap, investigator for
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the Board of Fire Underwriters, will conduct a further probe of the fire here today.
The fire was discovered at 2:30 a.m. by Joseph Pettit, of Gibbstown, an employee of the
Atlantic City Electric Co. Pettit summoned the firemen and then sped to the electric company’s
sub-station where he cut off a 30,000 volt power line running to the Sandura floor covering plant.
This high tension line passes 60 feet over Monroe street and might have resulted in casualties
among the firemen or spectators at the fire if the current had been left on.
The magnitude of the fire caused the Paulsboro Fire Co. heads, upon arrival at the scene,
to dispatch a call for the Billingsport firemen. Both companies fought the blaze for several hours
and successfully prevented it’s spread to other buildings.
Gross, who lives with his family in the E. Monroe Street building that was damaged, left
for Atlantic City with his children at 11 o’clock Saturday night. When he returned Sunday
afternoon he found his home and store in ruins. He told officials that he lost a large stock of
Christmas goods, in addition to all his family’s clothing.
Stocks in the stores damaged were insured but it is not known whether the buildings are
covered by insurance.
The fire started in the rear of the Bon Ton store and spread towards the Delaware street
front of the store and through a passageway connecting the dwelling to the store. When the
firemen arrived both places were in flames.
Special police were detailed by Mayor James Wert to keep back the crowds during the
fire and to prevent looting until after the front of the buildings had been boarded up.
NOVEMBER 29, 1933
SANDURA PLANT DESTROYED
DAMAGE BY FIRE ESTIMATED AT $1,250,000
The greatest fire in the history of Gloucester County swept through the Sandura Plant, on Mantua
Avenue, Thursday night, causing damage estimated at $1,250,000.
About 150 men and women were thrown out of work as a result of the blaze when a dozen
buildings were razed by the fire.
Because of the frigid cold weather, several firemen suffered frozen hands and ears, fire hoses and
hydrants froze solid, and a number of firemen narrowly escaped death from falling walls.
Sparks from the blaze, fanned by a high wind, ignited the roofs of 15 houses throughout the town.
Seven fire companies responded to a general alarm, and some were sent throughout the town to extinguish
the house fires.
The blaze was discovered around 11 p.m. in a cutting and drying room at the floor covering plant
by the watchman. He summoned other workmen and a sprinkler system was turned on. The two Paulsboro
fire companies were summoned and when they reached the scene, they found 2 fire plugs in the
neighborhood frozen. The company fire fighting lines were frozen and the blaze swept through the highly
flammable racks of drying composition rugs with a roar. When firemen finally turned a stream of water on
the blazing piles of rugs, the fire had spread beyond control.
The flames swept to a laboratory next door and several minor explosions of chemicals scattered
the fire in an ever widening circle. A storage room in which a pitch composition, used in the rug
manufacturing process was kept, caught fire and threw out huge, heavy clouds of black smoke, hampering
firemen even more then the severe cold weather.
The thermometer was registering 11 degrees below zero as hose lines spread water on the flames,
exposing rafters hung solid with long rows of glistening icicles, while a few feet to either side flames
roared through the plant.
A hose line froze and broke sending a cascade of water over nearby firemen. They were
immediately sheathed in ice and were helped by comrades to the office of the plant, where a stove was kept
red hot during the night to give firemen some relief. Other firemen went to the American Legion home on
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Beacon Avenue, and were served hot coffee and sandwiches throughout the night.
Firemen from Gibbstown, Woodbury, Mt. Royal, Clarksboro and National Park responded to the
alarm. Water froze in the hose nozzles despite the terrific pressure behind it and connections snapped as
freezing lines expanded.
George Ray, a member of the Billingsport Company, suffered badly frozen hands, but remained at
the nozzle of the hose during the night. Orville Mattson and Harvey Jordan, of the Paulsboro Company,
were sent home with both ears frozen. Several other firemen were nursing frozen ears, fingers and feet.
Fire Chief Dr. Henry Sinexon and a number of firemen narrowly escaped death while standing in
the shadow of a cinder block wall of a blazing building. The wall, weakened by the heat, cracked and the
firemen leaped to safety just as the heavy blocks toppled to the frozen ground with a crash.
Three freight cars, loaded with rugs for shipment, were in the plant confines when the fire started.
An unknown man, said to have been a fireman on a small donkey engine, worked madly to get up steam to
pull them from the encircling flames. As he started to move he found that firemen had blocked the tracks
with hose lines, and with the cars unable to move, were consumed by the flames. The cars were valued at
$20,000 each, plant officials said.
Somew fire fighters were lucky to escape a burning roof. The firemen who escaped from the
building roof before it burst into flames and collapsed, were H. Meyers, W. Hillman, C. Jenkins, A.
Schwan and George Ray, all of the Billingsport Company.
Among the other structures razed were Locust Hall, which served as a dormitory when the plant
was used by the government during the World War for the making of detonating fuses. Also destroyed
were the company owned bungalows. Thirty chickens died in the Marlow home. Only the fact that
hundreds of homes in Paulsboro were blanketed in snow and ice saved the town from an even more
disastrous fire, said fire officials. The sky was filled with burning bits of floor coverings, shingles and other
pieces of blazing debris that was caught in the wind and carried for more than a mile over the town. Falling
on snow covered roofs, the blazing embers soon burned themselves out.
The breakdown of damage was $800,000 in buildings, $200,000 in stock, and $250,000 in
machinery, said Chief Sinexon.
February 8, 1934
SHIRT FACTORY SWEPT
BY $30,000 FIRE
PAULSBORO BUSINESS SECTION THREATENED
6 Fire Companies Prevent Flames From Spreading
Fire that swept through a shirt factory early today threatened the center of
Paulsboro’s business district and several homes before firemen from six fire companies
brought the flames under control.
The loss was estimated by fire officials today at about $30,000, partially covered by
insurance. Dr. Henry Sinexon, Chief of the Paulsboro Fire Department, after a preliminary
investigation of the scene of the blaze, was unable to determine the origin of the fire.
The factory, conducted by Joseph Steinberg, of Philadelphia, was located in a
building owned by the S. B. Spiegle estate, of Woodbury, and was formerly used as a boxing
arena and an indoor golf course.
The fire was first discovered shortly after 12:30 a.m. by Samuel Neely, of Delaware
Street, and Charles Davis, of Camden, an employee in a nearby diner, who both telephoned
an alarm to the Paulsboro Police.
When firemen of the Paulsboro and Billingsport companies arrived, the center of the
big building was already a mass of flames and a few minutes later the roof of that section
collapsed, showering adjoining properties with sparks and embers.
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Fearing that the fire might spread to nearby homes on Buck Street and to businesses
on Delaware and Broad Streets, calls were sent to nearby towns with a request that additional
apparatus be sent to the scene. Gibbstown, East Greenwich, Mt. Royal, and Woodbury fire
companies responded.
After a hard, but comparatively brief battle, the firemen checked the flames and
confined them to the factory building. The roof of the Ambler Stetser property, nearby,
caught fire from sparks, but was quickly extinguished without damage.
The building, approximately 50 x 200 feet, stood back from Broad St., and extended
back almost to E. Buck St. The front section was of two-story construction.
The fire, which at one time could be seen from Woodbury, attracted hundreds of
spectators, including residents and motorists, the latter attracted by the glare of the flames in
the sky.
Many residents living along Buck Street and in that neighborhood, carried much of
their belongings to their porches and were ready to flee in the event that the fire spread.
The factory was equipped with about 100 machines for the manufacture of shirts and
men’s underwear, Steinberg said. The factory reopened two weeks ago after being closed for
about three weeks. Forty girls were being employed at the factory.
Two years ago Steinberg had a factory on the second floor of the Waisbain building,
on E. Broad and Chestnut, and a fire there caused a loss of about $12,000.
George Maguire, a member of Gibbstown Fire Company, was severely cut on the
hands by falling glass.
November 22,1934
TWO MEN DIE,
TOWN ENDANGERED AS
GASOLINE BARGE EXPLODES
A near major disaster was averted on Christmas Eve after 2 men had died in the explosion of
several thousands of gallons of gasoline on a barge moored at the end of a pier at the Patterson oil wharf on
the Delaware River.
The barge loaded with 11,000 barrels of the highly explosive fuel exploded at 7:30 a.m., and it is
feared that the captain and his deckhand were blown to bits. No trace was found of their bodies after one of
the most hectic days in the history of Paulsboro.
Shortly after 1 o’clock in the afternoon the flames were smothered in a heavy blanket of Foamon,
a compound used in fighting oil fires. Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. workers laid pipe lines from the creek bank
to the deck of the barge and the chemical was pumped into the heart of the fire.
The blazing barge endangered thousands of barrels of gasoline and oil in nearby tanks. Volunteers
braved the intense heat of the flames to chop through the mooring lines and free the blazing hulk. It drifted
out into the river until the floating barge was caught by the tide and turned into the mouth of the Mantua
Creek and headed straight for the center of town.
Billingsport and Paulsboro fire companies were summoned and found themselves balked by the
intense heat and the high flames. The barge, cut adrift, slowly swung from the pier and firemen turned hose
lines on the blazing piles and oil soaked timbers of the pier. Their efforts in halting the flames probably
stopped a more serious catastrophe, for flames might have followed the pipelines into the oil company’s
storage tank fields.
The blazing hulk, caught in the incoming tide, swung into the Mantua Creek, and at 10 a.m., a tug
was ordered to speed down the creek from the Strathman Sand and Gravel Co. and lay a cable across the
water to halt the burning barge. The burning barge at that time had reached the wharf of the I. P. Thomas
Co. fertilizer plant, but did no damaged there.
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In its path next was the Graselli Chemical Co. plant, a railroad bridge, lumber yard and several
more gasoline tanks at the Mantua Creek bridge, which was under construction at Crown Point Road.
At 11 a.m. the barge swung past the wharf of the Graselli Plant, with nearly 100 firemen and
workers from the plant grouped helplessly on the dock. The barge, coming in with the swift tide and backed
by the wind, swung half way around as it neared the dock, its nose swinging towards the men.
Firemen exhausted their supply of Foamon, and sent to the I. P. Thomas Plant for a new supply.
They squirted chemical hose lines toward the fiery tomb without doing any appreciable good.
Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines officials ordered the local railroad men to keep the bridge
closed to stop the barge from reaching the center of the town.
Plans to string a cable across the creek were not progressing rapidly, as the tug could not approach
the barge at any point considered safe for stopping the onward rush of the death cargo.
The railroad bridge was closed as the barge swept up the creek and at noon, within 50 feet of the
span, the hulk struck a bridge jetty after passing over 200 submerged cables, and spun toward shore. It
nosed into the bank and stopped.
A freight train was halted in Paulsboro as firemen on the bridge and on the creek bank played lines
of water on the fore deck of the burning craft in an effort to cool the dangerously hot gas tanks.
As the barge came to a stop, the flames became higher and more bright. A handful of firemen
braved the heat to fasten a line to the bow of the vessel and moored it tightly to the bridge jetty. Others
boarded the bow and directed a stream of water in a futile effort to hold back the flames.
At noon a new load of Foamon reached the scene and Fire Chief Dr. Henry Sinexon, and John
Hofmann, assistant chief, directed its force against the flames. The fire was finally extinguished shortly
after 3 p.m. It was later determined that 3 of the 5 tanks on the barge had exploded.
Calvin Hunter, of Paulsboro, an employee of the Paterson firm, saw one of the men blown
overboard. Hunter was injured, suffering a possible fracture of his right arm, when the concussion from the
explosion blew him off an adjoining barge. The second man on the barge is believed to have died in his
cabin. The barge was towed back to the Patterson Terminal to have the remaining tanks pumped out.
December 24, 1935
FOUR RESCUED AFTER
$50,000 FIRE SWEEPS
STORE & BOWLING ALLEY
Following a mysterious explosion early Sunday morning, a fire swept a local bowling alley and
adjoining stores causing damage estimated at $50,000. The fire for a time threatened the heart of the local
business district.
Property valued at more than a quarter million dollars was endangered by the flames. The blaze
was halted only by concrete block and brick walls which confined the flames to one building, firemen
declared.
The Paulsboro Bowling Academy, a saloon operated by Martin Pietras, and a jewelry store owned
by Leon Brown, all on N. Delaware Street between Broad and E. Buck St., were damaged.
Brown, his wife and four year-old daughter were lowered from the second floor apartment. Pietras
was awakened by his pet police dog and escaped through a 2nd floor window over an awning.
Firemen from six companies answered the alarm. Both Paulsboro and Billingsport, Gibbstown,
Clarksboro, Mt. Royal and Woodbury. Women of the town made coffee for the fire fighters, who fought
the flames in near-zero weather.
The blaze was discovered at 3:30 a.m. by Wilbert Dilkes, owner of the Paulsboro News Agency, at
1315 N. Delaware Street. Dilkes, in the dining room of his home, was awaiting the arrival of his helper in
the early morning delivery of his newspapers. “There was a rumbling and a shaking like an earthquake,”
Dilkes said. “I didn’t know what had happened.”
Dilkes awakened his wife and daughters and they
fled to safety.
John Tivald, night attendant at McCorkell’s garage, turned in an alarm summoning the Paulsboro
Fire Company. Adam Blum and Elijah Lawrence also called the firemen.
Brown was awakened by the blast and he awakened his wife, Clara, and their daughter Sonya.
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Flames made escape by the stairway impossible for the Brown’s.
Blum and Lawrence saw Brown and his family framed in a front window and called to them to
lower themselves. Brown lowered the girl and then his wife, and then jumped into the arms of the youths.
Mrs. Brown and her daughter were reported to be suffering from shock and exposure, and three
firemen were slightly injured in fighting the blaze.
Alex Schwan ran a nail through his foot, James Hunter and George Ray both received cuts to their
hands. All three are from the Billingsport Fire Company. Dr. C. C. Sheets administered first aid to the men
on the scene.
Borough Fire Chief Dr. Henry Sinexon called out the Billingsport company immediately and upon
arrival at the scene sent for the other fire companies.
Shortly after their arrival, the local firemen had a number of hose lines in service with tons of
water being poured into the blazing building in a successful fight to prevent the blaze from sweeping
through the block.
Pietras, who lives alone above his saloon, was awakened by his police dog “Timmie.” The saloon
keeper found the second floor clouded with smoke. Clad in only night clothing, he found their escape
through the stairs blocked by flames. He took the dog to a front window and lowered to an awning. Pietras
than took the same route, and after lowering himself from the awning to the street, his dog jumped into his
arms.
Pietras didn’t stop for his trousers when he fled and after reaching the street, he remembered he
had $400 in his pockets. Firemen found them later with the money still inside undamaged.
Firemen remained at the scene of the blaze until 8 a.m. until Chief Sinexon announced that the
blaze was extinguished. Members of the Paulsboro Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary furnished coffee and
sandwiches for the men.
Fire officials were unable to determine the cause of the fire in the preliminary investigation. The
oil in the portion of the building occupied by the Brown’s was found to be in good order.
JANUARY 14, 1937
FOUR IN THRILLING ESCAPE, AS
FLAMES DESTROY BUILDING
ROUTED FROM APARTMENTS AT PAULSBORO FIRE
Family of Eight and Ill Woman Forced to Flee,
Baby Dropped to Safety from Bedroom Window
Trapped in a second floor apartment when flames cut off their escape down a stairway, four
persons, including a 8 month old baby, reached safety through a bedroom window early yesterday when a
fire erupted in Paulsboro.
The fire, which started in a taproom on the first floor, destroyed the three story building and
threatened an adjoining dwelling as four other families fled to the street in their night clothing.
Joseph Verdinelli suffered a foot injury when he dropped from a second floor window after
assisting his wife, their baby daughter, and a three year old girl in a thrilling escape.
Milford Titus, 53, a member of the Paulsboro Fire Co., was seriously injured when he was struck
by an auto operated by an alleged drunken driver. Titus, a fire marshal, was directing traffic at the
intersection of Delaware and Monroe streets when he was struck.
Taken to Underwood Hospital, in Woodbury, Titus was found to have suffered a compound
fracture of his left leg and other injuries. Police arrested James Morris, 26, of Paulsboro, as the driver.
The property loss was estimated at $10,000 by Pasquale Benevento, owner of the building, located
at Delaware and Roosevelt streets. Benevento, who conducts a taproom on the first floor, and lives in one
of the rear apartments, leaped down a back stairway. Edward Reel conducted an oyster bar on the other part
of the first floor.
The fire was discovered at 3:15 a.m. by Policemen Louis Koko and Dominic Travaline, who were
on patrol in a police car.The flames had spread through the entire first floor, the officers said. While Koko
sped to turn in the alarm summoning both the fire companies, Travaline remained at the scene to arouse the
occupants of the building.
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Travaline broke in a door, but was driven back by flames as he attempted to reach the stairway
leading to the second floor. Unable to enter the building, Travaline shouted and pounded on the wall to
awake the occupants of the four apartments into which the second and third floors of the building had been
converted. Verdinelli was awakened about the same time by his wife gasping from smoke that had
penetrated into their bedroom. Finding escape by the stairway cut off, Verdinelli dropped his baby
daughter, Bertha, from the window into the arms of Travaline. He then tied a sheet about the waist of his
wife and lowered her part way to the ground, from there she dropped. She was caught by Travaline and W.
McDonald, a passerby, who arrived at the scene at that time. Linda Ferrell, 13, of Clarksboro, who was
visiting the family, was also lowered by Verdinelli into the waiting arms below. Verdinelli himself dropped
from the window as flames burst through the floor into his apartment. Travaline was treated by a physician
for burns of his nose caused from inhaling smoke and flames.
Firemen, who ran eleven hose lines to the scene of the blaze, prevented the flames from spreading
to the attached home of Elijah Lawrence. The brick construction of the Lawrence home helped to retard the
blaze until the firemen reached the scene. The work of the firemen was made more hazardous by the
extreme cold. Hosemen stationed on the roof of an adjoining dwelling had difficulty in keeping their
footing when the water froze, coating the roof with ice. Firemen broke down locked doors to reach a meter
in order to shut off illuminating gas after one of the lines broke. Electric lines were shut off shortly after the
alarm was sounded. The fire was brought under control after a 45 minute battle.
Biazio Flemani and his family, along with Mr. and Mrs. Ed Riebl reached safety by escaping
down a back stairway before the fire shut off the exit. Mary Hammond, confined to her bed by illness, was
carried out by firemen. Mr. Lawrence, his wife, and six children were also led to safety from their home.
None of the occupants were able to save any of their personal belongings.
Dr. Henry Sinexon, borough fire chief, Dr. C. Sheets and Dr. Anthony DeMarina administered
first aid treatment to the victims.
January 10, 1938
FLAMES SWEEP COOMBS LUMBER
YARD, $50,000 FIRE LOSS
Fire Destroys Three Buildings,
7 Fire Companies Halt Spread of Flames
Damage estimated at $50,000 was caused Sunday night when flames swept through three buildings of the J.
Howard Coombs Lumber Company in Paulsboro and for a time threatened a large section of the Borough.
Two firemen attached to local companies suffered slight injuries while battling the flames.
Firemen from five out-of-town companies aided in the fight to prevent burning embers from spreading the
fire to residences and other buildings near the plant on Beacon Avenue.
Razed by the flames were the millwork plant, a drying kiln and a storage building.
Firemen concentrated their efforts on saving the office building and preventing the spread of
flames to other buildings and homes in the neighborhood. Big embers fell over a wide area at the height of
the fire and threatened to ignite roofs of several buildings.
Outside companies were called by Paulsboro fire officers when the fire threatened to spread to the
office building, in which was also stored a large quantity of paints, varnishes and other flammable
materials. The blaze was checked, however, before it reached this building
Flames Spread Rapidly
The fire was discovered shortly after 6 p.m., by Ralph Wattle, who lives on Beacon Avenue,
opposite the lumber yard. Flames shot through the roof of the mill while firemen were laying their first
hose lines. They said that the flames probably had been smoldering for some time before the blaze was
discovered as the entire building was engulfed almost immediately after their response to the alarm.
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The mill building had a frontage of about 80 feet on Beacon Avenue, and a depth of approximately
120 feet. The other two buildings were somewhat smaller.
Nearby residents, alarmed when sparks and embers began falling onto their homes, used garden
hoses to wet their homes. Arrival of outside companies enabled firemen to be put on this detail of
protecting those houses.
Church Endangered
The home of Joseph Feger was scorched by the heat. Sparks endangered the William H. Carson
Post, American Legion Hall; the First Presbyterian Church, which is opposite the lumber yard, and the
home of Herschel Sharp, on Beacon Avenue.
Employees of the lumber firm and firemen carried out the office records and equipment when it
appeared that the office building might be ignited. Three trucks were also removed from the yard before
they were reached by the flames.
Responding to the calls for assistance were Woodbury, Gibbstown, Clarksboro, Mt. Royal and
Thorofare fire companies, who all sent apparatus and crews of men to Paulsboro.
Two Firemen Hurt
William Hillman, a member of the Billingsport Fire Company, was severely burned on both hands
while assisting in fighting the fire. Harry England, a member of the Paulsboro Fire Company, was slightly
injured by falling timbers. Both were treated on the scene by Dr. C.C. Sheets.
The building in which the fire started was erected in the summer of 1917, and was first used as a
tabernacle for a month’s evangelistic campaign by Evangelist Ira F. Hicks.
Thousands of persons were attracted to the fire scene, the reflection of the fire was visible for
several miles. Firemen were served sandwiches and coffee by women of the community.
DECEMBER 22, 1938
THREE MEN KILLED AT RAIL
CROSSINGON BILLINGSPORT RD.
ALL WERE EMPLOYED BY THE REFINERY
Car Completely Totaled By Freight Train
Three employees of the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company were killed instantly Monday
evening around 7:10 p.m., when a sedan driven by Joseph Eletto, 27, of 262 West Adams Street,
of Paulsboro, was struck by a fast moving freight train at the Billingsport Road railroad crossing
of the Pennsylvania -Reading and Seashore Lines, where a single track crosses the road.
Eletto, who was also a Secretary at the Paulsboro Moose Lodge, and two passengers,
Roswell Parks, of Norris Street, Mantua, a foreman at the oil refinery, and Clarence Unkles, 33,
of 241 Emerald Avenue,Westmont, all employed in the Wax Works at the refinery under Arthur
Milch, never knew what hit them.
The car was carried almost to the Gas Plant, well over 200 yards away from the point of
impact, and was crushed to small bits. The bodies were strewed along the tracks and seemed as if
all the bones in them were broken. There were no wounds on the bodies.
The freight train engine was damaged by the impact and was detained for three hours
before repairs were completed. The switch light near the intersection was torn apart.
Both the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies were summoned and under the
direction of George Ray, Chief of the Fire Department, did a swell job in clearing the wreckage
from the tracks and aiding in the removal of the bodies after Ray determined that all three were
dead. The Gibbstown Ambulance was summoned, in as much as the Paulsboro firemen were
fumigating the local ambulance in the Paulsboro Firehouse. It was used the day before to
transport a patient, whom it was later determined, was suffering from infantile paralysis.
Dr. Henry Sinexon, former fire chief of Paulsboro, and now the Gloucester County
Coroner, was summoned and after examining the bodies, issued a certificate of accidental death.
All three bodies were removed to the undertaking establishment of Irving C. Pettit.
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November 22, 1943
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3 YEAR-OLDTUMBLES IN,
AND DROWNS IN CREEK
The dirty, stinking Mantua Creek took its toll of life once again on Monday afternoon,
and became the watery grave for three-year-old Leroy Pierce, son of Ben and Martha Pierce, who
make their home on the east bank of the Mantua Creek with a large brood of children. The family
has been living in one of the two-story shacks for several years and have a large family.
The small as well as the larger children play in the waters of the creek all summer long,
and most of them are expert swimmers. The lad was playing on the creek bank with other
members of his family. When his mother missed him, she searched frantically but could not find
him along the shore. No one saw the child tumble into the creek.
The Paulsboro fire companies were summoned, and along with their Chief, George Ray,
the volunteer firemen and other workers, grappled from three row boats all afternoon until
midnight, but to no avail. A charge of dynamite was discharged near the Pierce home, but that did
not bring the body up. It was found the following morning. All the men who worked tirelessly for
so many hours, deserve a lot of credit.
November 1, 1943
GETZ STORE SWEPT BY
$16,000 FIRE IN BOROUGH
Fire that swept the furniture store owned by Samuel Getz, threatened the entire business district
last Saturday night before the blaze was finally brought under control after a two hour battle by the local
fire companies.
Damage to the building and furniture stock was estimated at $16,000 by Borough Fire Chief
George Ray.
During the two hour fight, traffic was diverted, with Auxiliary Police of the Civilian Defense
organization functioning efficiently in assisting the local police.
Tons of water was poured into the blazing furniture store as firemen battled to confine the blaze to
that building.
The Paulsboro Fire Co. responded to the first alarm at 7 p.m., and immediately upon arrival, sent
in a second call which brought the Billingsport firemen to the scene. Gibbstown and other nearby
communities also sent men and apparatus.
An investigation is being made to determine the origin of the fire.
The Ladies Auxiliary of the Paulsboro Fire Company and Mollie Segal served coffee and
refreshments to the firemen.
February 5,1944
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ONE DIES, TWO HURT IN
EXPLOSION AT BROAD ST. HOME
One person died and two were burned severely on Thursday night when an exploding gas hot
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water heater leveled a two and a half-story home at 254 West Broad Street, near the center of the
community. The blast occurred at 6:05 p.m. and alarmed a wide area. Hundreds rushed to the dwelling,
located on the main street in Paulsboro.
Two of the victims, Mrs. Martha Chesney, 76, owner of the home, and a plumber, Bert Driver, of
1636 South Commerce Street, were taken to the Underwood Hospital in Woodbury, by the Paulsboro
Community Ambulance. Mrs. Chesney’s daughter, Margaret, was treated by a local doctor for burns on the
hands. The daughter told investigators that she and her mother were watching driver disconnect a pipe
leading to the heater when the explosion took place.
Mrs. Martha Chesney died Thursday night from the shock and burns she received when her home
literally splintered to bits from the explosion. She had been in an oxygen tent since her admission to the
hospital and had received blood plasma frequently as doctors fought to save her life.
Driver had been summoned to the Chesney home to repair a leaking hot water heater and the
explosion occurred when both the plumber and the aged matron were in the cellar, attempting to light the
leaky heater.
Walls of the home were pushed outward by the blast and collapsed. The roof was blown into the
street. Authorities said the direction of the force of the explosion probably saved the victims.
First to arrive at the home after the blast was James Patke, of 263 W. Broad Street. He found Mrs.
Chesney and Driver half covered with bricks and debris, and their clothing afire. Another neighbor, Frank
Shuster, of 257 West Broad Street, brought over some blankets that were used by the two men to smother
the flames. The victims were then hoisted through the cellar windows. Among others who took part in the
rescue was Mrs. Harry Caldwell, of 248 Thomson Avenue, who lives directly in back of the wrecked
property.
Traffic along Broad Street, which is U. S. Highway 130 and Route 44, was detoured around the
scene for more than two hours. The local fire companies responded to extinguish any fires and to also assist
with the victims.
July 25,1946
FLAMES DESTROY BUILDING
AT ADAMS & PENN LINE RD.
Fire of an undetermined origin destroyed the concrete block and frame two-story building which
housed a grocery store, operated by Mr. Aaron Jaffe, the Penn Line Bar owned and operated by William
Goldman, and three apartments, occupied by the Jaffe family, the Nelson Lockely family and the Harvey
Clark family at Penn Line Road and West Adams Street. The building was formerly owned by Mrs. Rose
Michelson, but was sold late last year to Mr. Goldman.
The eight adults and eleven children all escaped unhurt due to the fact that Harvey Clark was
awakened by his 7 month old baby, and was preparing a bottle of milk when he smelled smoke. He
investigated and found the lower floors ablaze. He awakened the rest of the household and all escaped only
in their night clothes to the street.
When the fire company arrived the entire inside of the building was in flames. They also had
trouble getting water from the borough’s hydrant system. An emergency call was put through and the water
systems of Greenwich and East Greenwich townships were tied in. But by that time the building was a total
loss. The Gibbstown, Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies fought the blaze from 1:30 in the morning
till near daybreak, when it was finally under control.
The contents of the grocery store and the taproom were a total loss, as were all the clothing and
furnishings in the three apartments. Only a small portion of the building remained standing when the
firemen declared the fire under control around five o’clock in the morning.
Clark aroused his wife and their five children, and in their night clothing, took them safely out of
the building and across the street to the home of the owner of the building William Goldman, at 272 W.
Adams Street. Mr. Goldman conducts the Penn Line Cafe in the ground floor of the building.
Mr. Jaffe, who operates the grocery store in the building, awakened his wife and child, and were
next to leave the building. They occupy the living quarters on both the first and second floors.
The third family, with an apartment on the top floor, was Mr. and Mrs. Lockley and their three
daughters, who all also left in their night clothes and are staying with relatives. Mrs. Lockley was treated
for shock by Dr. Alvin Thomas.
Patrolman Alex Wydenowski said Goldman reported he had closed his cafe at 1 a.m. and had
crossed the street to his home. Goldman said that everything was in order when he left the building and the
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fire apparently started shortly afterward. Mayor Joseph Enos was at the scene early in the morning and
offered his help and the services of the borough.
Mrs. Frances Vanneman, local Welfare Director, stepped into the picture and furnished help in the
way of food to all the families involved. Used clothing will be brought to the families from the Salvation
Army headquarters in Camden. The community stands ready to aid in anyway it can, however, until the
homeless families find a place to live, it is hard to state what they need the most.
APRIL 20, 1950
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FLAMES DESTROY HOUSE
Flames of unknown origin destroyed the two-story frame dwelling occupied by the Wilson Bates
family at 1657 Swedesboro Avenue around 1:00 a.m. The Bates family was awakened by the smoke. They
grabbed a few clothes and got out just before the first floor was enveloped by the flames. The fire started in
the front room. The tar paper shingles on the outside of the house burned fiercely.
Wilson ran to a neighbors house, R. Davis, who summoned the fire companies and helped him
remove a few pieces of furniture from the kitchen.
The firemen did a very good job and kept the blaze from setting fire to the Davis home on the right
and also to the Pasquini home in the front. The small frame dwelling was located in the rear of the Pasquini
home, and on the location where the Columbia Hotel was situated years ago. The Wilson’s had little
insurance on their possessions and escaped only in their night clothes and barefooted.
The Paulsboro Police offered to find a place for the night for the family during the height of the
blaze. The Salvation Army was contacted for whatever aid might be necessary. Most of the neighbors were
very generous in offering their homes and services to the stricken family.
AUGUST 17, 1950
TWO MEN BURNED TO
DEATH IN TAR PAPER
SHACK AT LOCAL DUMP
In one of the worst local tragedies in years, Grover Virden, 60, and George
Korponai, 40, were burned to death last Friday morning around 2 a.m. when a 5 foot high
tar paper shack on the local dump, across the Mantua Creek, caught on fire from an
overheated stove pipe. The shack was destroyed so quickly that both men were unable to
get out. Ralph “Goofy” Virden, 29, was awakened by the blaze and was able to jump out
of a window and escaped with only singed hair.
According to the story given by Ralph to the police and local newspapers, the
three men along with Gus Clayman and Grover Virden Jr., 27, were in the shack earlier
Thursday evening. The shack was originally built of salvaged packing boxes, tar paper
and store paper salvaged from the dump. One room was added to it where Virden slept.
When the dump was moved to the foot of Grasselli Lane, Virden still kept the shack
intact and collected tin cans from the nearby dump and sold them for one cent a pound.
He had improvised a heater out of an oil drum with a stove pipe through the tar
paper roof. That night they were burning wood in the drum, and it is believed that the
men placed a large quantity of wood in the drum before they went to sleep and the heated
stove pipe set fire to the tar paper roof.
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Ralph was awakened by the crackling of the flames and claims that he awakened
his father and Korponai, then jumped out of a window. He believes that both men were
able to get outside of the burning shack , but perhaps they thought that he was still inside,
and returned into the roaring inferno to save him. Both men then perished.
Virden’s body was found seared beyond recognition inside the shack, which was
leveled to the ground. Korponai ran out of the blazing inferno and staggered about 30
feet, then dropped dead. All the clothes were burned off his body, even to his shoes. One
arm was almost burned off.
“Goofy” ran to 1202 S. Delaware St. where Mrs. Virden was staying with some of
the children, and told them of the fire. Grover Jr. ran from the house and swam across the
Mantua Creek to the shack which was already demolished by the blaze.
West Deptford Police who were on duty saw the blaze and gave the alarm. Many
motorist passed by the blazing structure and thought that only the dump was on fire. By
the time the Thorofare and Paulsboro firemen arrived, the blaze had burned itself out.
Dr. David Brewer, county coroner, was called and issued certificates of accidental
death. The bodies were removed to the Pettit Funeral Home, from where a double funeral
took place on Saturday afternoon. Burial was in Eglington Cemetery.
February 29, 1952
FOUR YEAR OLD BOY
DROWNS IN MANTUA CREEK
SMALL BOY WANDERS AWAY FROM HOME;
Firemen Find Body
The sympathy of the whole community went out to the Malone family, who reside
at 1551 S. Commerce Street, over the weekend during the time their 4 year old son,
Johnny, was missing. The little lad’s body was found Sunday morning, a little before 9
o’clock, in the Mantua Creek under the Broad Street bridge. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew
Malone have two other children, Tommy, 11, and Gloria, 9.
On Friday afternoon, little Johnny took his usual nap and awakened around 4 p.m.
A friend of the family, who visits the family over the weekends, gave Johnny a bag of
candy. She then said she was going out in town to do some shopping. Around 5:45 p.m.
she met the parents coming out towards the center of town looking for Johnny. She was
asked by the parents whether he had accompanied her to town. When she had informed
them that the tot was not with her, both parents became worried.
After searching the neighborhood more thoroughly, they notified the local police.
On duty at that time were Officers Edgar Dare and Nick Miskofsky. The police
conducted a pretty thorough search and when they failed to find a trace of the child, they
summoned the local firemen.
The firemen started to grapple the creek waters, aided by neighbors and town
citizens who volunteered. Electric lights were rigged up on the creek and the search
continued on through the night. Officer Alex Wydenowski, who came on the midnight
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shift, also aided the other officers, who continued to work through their shifts.
The following day the police force, auxiliary police, firemen and volunteers
rowed up and down the creek with grappling hooks.
It is believed that Johnny had entered the family row boat and must have fallen
overboard , or had tumbled in from the two boat landings in back of his home into the
swift waters of the creek. At the time he is believed to have disappeared, the tide was
high and was getting ready to ebb.
The Gibbstown, Clarksboro and Woodbury firemen joined the local force of men
and aided with grappling hooks, boats and with manpower. The search continued through
Saturday night, until Sunday morning when the body was discovered.
During the search for the little boy, Mrs. Milton Jones, Mrs. Sarah Leap and Mrs.
Joseph Hurst prepared coffee, sandwiches and ice tea for all the volunteers who were
working the creek. Mrs. Robert Jolley, Mrs. Nelson Hall and Mrs. Joseph Schnell baked
cakes for the family which were greatly appreciated.
The body of the missing boy was spotted under the Broad Street bridge by
firemen in rescue boats. The two row boats contained Alex Mogar and Milton Jones, and
the other with John Whitelam and Bob Jolley, members of the Paulsboro Fire Co., who
were patrolling the waters, when the body was sighted. Whitelam was dispatched to the
borough hall, and notified the local police of the finding of the body.
June 27,1952
FIRE DESTROYS PART OF
COOMBS LUMBER YARD
Fire believed to have been started from electrical wiring in the millwright shop of the J. Howard
Coombs Lumber Co., on Beacon Avenue, at the railroad, destroyed the mill with all its machinery, a garage
where three delivery trucks were stored, including the trucks and a shed in between where finished lumber
was stored Sunday morning.
The blaze was first noticed around 8:25 a.m. around a chimney in the millwright shop. By the time
the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies arrived on the scene with their apparatus, the one story frame
millwright shop was a mass of flames. The rolls of tar paper and other inflammables threw up a huge
column of black smoke, and the flames were shooting skyward through the roof. The heat was so intense
that it scorched the home of Henry Morse at 732 Beacon Avenue, across the street from the yard.
The largest portion of the yard was destroyed in a fire in 1938. At that time the office was saved
along with the trucks. This time the office was once again saved, but the trucks were not.
Damage is estimated at $100,000 with a large quantity of lumber being destroyed by fire.
Fire Chief Alex Mogor, of the Paulsboro Fire Company, who directed the operations, said the
blaze apparently started in the millwright shop and spread rapidly through the building. By the time the
firemen arrived and connected the first hose line, the flames had broken through the roof of the frame
structure.
For several hours the firemen fought to prevent the blaze from spreading throughout the entire
lumber yard. Their all out battle saved the adjoining building that houses the office and a store, together
with a second floor stockroom in which much of the finished millwork, window sash and doors were
stored.
The outside of the building actually caught fire, but the firemen quickly extinguished the flames
and kept the entire building soaked down. In the store were large quantities of paints, turpentine and other,
flam- mables which if they became ignited, would have doomed the entire plant.
Firemen also prevented flames from spreading into an open storage shed on the north side of the yard.
A brisk 20 MPH wind carried burning sparks over a wide area and for a time threatened several
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homes and other properties in the immediate vicinity, including the First Presbyterian Church and the
American Legion Home, adjoining the Morse home on Beacon Avenue. However, a wind blowing from the
southwest favored the firemen and removed the danger as they prepared to wet down properties in the area.
When the local fire companies arrived with their pieces of equipment, they found the blaze beyond
their immediate control and summoned the Gibbstown, Mt. Royal, Clarksboro, Thorofare and Woodbury
fire companies to the scene. Shortly before 9 a.m., there were about 80 firemen and 20 pieces of apparatus
on the job.
The need for water was so great in the early stages that pumpers were set up near the Mantua
Creek, a quarter mile away, and the water supply from Clarksboro and Gibbstown was tied in with the
Paulsboro mains. Heavy clouds of smoke enveloped a wide area and attracted hundreds of residents and
passing motorists. Fire lines were set up by regular, auxiliary and fire police.
Four firemen suffered injuries and three others were overcome by the smoke. Wesley McGill, 35,
of DuPont Avenue, suffered from shock and bruises received in a fall and was treated at Underwood
Hospital in Woodbury, where he was taken by the Paulsboro Ambulance. Other firemen who were injured
included Norman Mower with burns on his right foot, Thomas Worrell who was burned in the lower corner
of the right eye from a flying ember, and Robert Struss with contusions of the right middle finger that
became caught between a hose connection. Overcome by smoke and treated at the scene were Robert
Kinkade, Harry Bihler and Forrest Hammel.
Councilman Louis Damminger, Public Safety Chairman, praised the work of the local firemen and
the assistance given by the outside companies. He commended them for bringing the blaze under control
within two hours. A bulldozer was used to spread the damaged lumber out to avoid another fire.
April 29, 1956
APARTMENT HOUSE FIRE SMOTHERS
TWO CHILDREN FROM FRANK FAMILY
In one of the most tragic fires in Paulsboro in many years, the lives of two children of Charles W.
Frank of 1108 N. Commerce St., were snuffed out by a flash fire Saturday afternoon at one o’clock. The
two children, Barbara, 17, and Richard, 1, were trapped in the blazing apartment and were found dead by
firemen after they were able to get into the apartment.
The blaze started on the back porch where the father had been doing some painting all of last
week, and he stated that he was painting on Saturday morning some, when the fire started amongst the
paints, from an unknown origin.
Frank left the painting on the porch temporarily and went to a large garage in the rear for
something, and when he came out he saw the blaze on the back porch. Frank said that when he came out of
the garage he saw Barbara holding Ricky in her arms at the window and he hollered to her to go to the third
floor and shut the door. He claimed that the window was closed at the time. The house had storm windows
and she might not have heard him. He broke a window on the first floor, but the heat drove him back.
Among the first to reach the scene was Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Johnson of 73 Capitol Street, who
along with their son, attempted to put out the fire. President of the Paulsboro Fire Company, Carleton
Kandle, who lives across the street, saw the blaze on the back porch and told his wife, Irma, to call the fire
company while he ran to the burning house, but said he could not get near the blaze as it was too intense
and the fire was climbing fast on the outside, burning through the tar paper siding on the building. Mr. and
Mrs. Peter Petho, who live in the rear of the burning house, were watching television when they saw the
flames, and also phoned the fire department.
The firemen responded very quickly and did a fine job of containing the flames to the
Frank apartment. It was a good thing there was no wind, otherwise the entire house would have gone up.
The black smoke rose straight into the sky.
In the confusion, it is said that some firemen knew, while others did not, that the two children
were in the house, and some went to one of the front apartments and cut a hole in the wall to reach the
bodies, but some had trouble getting through.
Firemen climbed through a 3rd story window and found the attic full of smoke only. They fought
the flames downward and reached the second story bedroom, where the bodies were found on a bed. Fire
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Chief Fraizer Newton was on the job throughout the blaze and summoned County Fire Marshal John
Williams, who began a probe of the cause of the fire.
A number of people were questioned about the fire on Sunday by local and county officials
including County Prosecutor Guy Lee, Deputy County Fire Marshal Ray Williams, Paulsboro Police Chief
Herman Hanel, along with Fire Chief Fraizer Newton and County Fire Marshal John “Cy” Williams.
Milton Jones, who lives directly behind the burned out property, saw the flames, vaulted a fence
and ran into the Frank’s yard. Looking to the second floor window, Jones said he saw Barbara still at the
window holding the baby. Jones said he yelled for her to throw the baby to him and then for herself to
jump. He stated that the girl appeared to be confused. She then left the window, Jones said, and he did not
see her again. Lou Brammell stated that he saw the young girl holding the baby in her arms at the second
story window, on the side towards Adams St., and she opened the window and leaned out. He called to her
to drop the baby and he would catch it, then jump out herself. She did not say anything, but walked back
into the burning house with the baby.
Fire Chief Newton said the entire back of the house was in flames when the firemen arrived.
Although the flames were put out in about thirty minutes, firemen said the living room and kitchen on the
first floor and two bedrooms and a bath room on the second floor were badly charred. The frame dwelling
is 3 stories high. There are four apartments in the building.
His wife Lillian and the other five children, Robert, Janet, Ronald, Sandra and Ralph were not at
home at the time of the fire. Another daughter, Shirley, is married and lives in Florida.
All of the other occupants, Mr. and Mrs. William Chase, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Durham and
children, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jarrell, escaped from the apartment building fire.
Joint services for Barbara and Richard were held Tuesday at the Pettit Funeral Home with the
services conducted by the Rev. John Blair, pastor of St. Paul’s Methodist Church. Burial was in Eglington
Cemetery in Clarksboro.
February 9, 1957
FIVE RIVERFRONT HOMES
DESTROYED BY RAGING FIRE
Eighteen persons were made homeless when fire raged out of control and destroyed five houses
along the Billingsport riverfront, in Paulsboro, near the Patterson Oil Co. dock. Three firemen were injured
battling the flames.
The fire broke out shortly after nine o’clock Friday morning in the home of Sarah Biernacki at 110
Riverfront Avenue. A neighbor, William Lapp, 63, at 100 riverfront Avenue, saw the roof of the Biernacki
home in flames, ran to the house and shouted to Mrs. Biernacki, who was washing dishes.
Whipped by the high winds off of the river, the flames quickly engulfed three adjoining one-story
frame homes, which were leveled to the ground. The fire also burned out a two-story home that was nearby.
The families of all the dwellings escaped unhurt. All their possessions, including clothing, were
lost. The Gloucester County Red Cross soon went to the aid of the stricken families. Firemen prevented the
flames from leaping to the nearby oil tanks at the Patterson terminals, located about 150 feet away.
From the Biernacki home, the fire quickly spread to the next door home occupied by her son,
Frank, 24, at 111 Riverfront, who was at home with his wife Lillian, 18, and their two children. She ran to
the home and helped carry out her grandchildren. Next destroyed was the home of Joseph Scargle, who
lived alone at 113 Riverfront, and whose former home in the same area was destroyed by fire last
December. The flames then swept the home of Harry Snoke, 30, unemployed roofer, who lived at 114
Riverfront with his wife, Caroline, 30, and their six children. The couple carried out their smaller children
and the others walked safely from the home. Before being brought under control around 11 a.m., the fire
had spread to the two-story home of Saul Weil, of 116 Riverfront.
Firemen treated at the scene included Albert Battersby, burns of the face and Thomas Worrell, nail
wound of the hand, both of the Billingsport Fire Co., and Robert Fawns, of the Patterson fire crew, who
came to help the local fire companies, for cuts of the head. An estimated 125 firemen were in service at the
height of the blaze, directed by Borough Fire Chief Fraizer Newton. All were highly commended by
Councilmen Dave Rosen and Earl Miller. Also assisting the local companies were the Gibbstown and
Woodbury companies. The Patterson Oil Co. plant firemen kept the highly combustible fuel tanks watered
down at the height of the blaze. Firemen said the cause of the fire was not determined.
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March 7, 1958
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BLAZE DAMAGES
DiMEDIO’S LUMBERYARD
Flames of an undetermined origin totally destroyed the wood working mill and garage of the B.
DiMedio and Sons lumber yard on Commerce Street on Saturday afternoon. Damage was estimated at
around $75,000. The building was gutted, the wood working machinery destroyed, and the completed
doors, window sash and cabinets were totally destroyed by the flames and water. Two large trucks were
driven out of the garage and saved. One of the firms drivers, Leroy Collins, was in the building when he
noticed it was getting hot in the place. He did not smell or see any smoke though. The fire started on the
second floor and a passing motorist saw the fire and called the police. The fire alarm was turned in around
2:50 p.m. and the firemen fought the blaze until dark. The Gibbstown Fire Company was called in to assist
the Paulsboro and Billingsport firemen.
The flames threatened to spread next door to the home of George Conaway, and could have
destroyed the row houses on the East side of Commerce Street, including the home of the building
inspector, Lester Milstead and the home of Walter Bates. The Gloucester Township Auxiliary Canteen
drove from near Blackwood and made coffee and sandwiches. Sara leap, of 108 E. Broad St., also brewed
coffee and served it to the exhausted firemen. She was helped by several teens.
May 10, 1958
TWO TOTS SUFFOCATE
IN APARTMENT FIRE
TWO and FIVE YEAR OLDS PERISH in FIRE
Two small children died Tuesday morning at 5:30 in their bedroom on the second floor. The
children were trapped in the blazing apartment at the Paulsboro Manor and apparently died of suffocation
from the heat and smoke.
They were Wanda, 5, and her brother Kurt, 2, the only children of Paul Holmstrom. He is a sailor
aboard the submarine Bonefish, undergoing repairs at the shipyard in Camden. He was on duty at the time
of the tragedy. The mother, Alice, 24, was found partially unconscious on the first floor by a brother in law
who lives across the street, and who saw the blaze from his window upstairs.
Marion Neue, who lives in apartment 17-A, could not sleep because of the heat and saw the blaze
in his brother-in-law’s apartment which faces his apartment. As he dashed across the lawn, the window in
the second floor bedroom blew out and flames shot out. He broke the glass in the front door and found Mrs.
Holstrom semi-conscious on the couch. He helped her outside then rushed back into the fiery house along
with neighbors, John Seaton and Michael Reid, but were forced down by the flames when they got halfway
up the stair steps.
In the meantime Mrs. Reid called the Police Department and told them of the fire. Neighbors in
the huge apartment area were awakened by the shouts and the screaming of Mrs. Holmstrom, but there was
nothing that they could do although she told them that the children were upstairs in the back.
Sergeant Alex Wydenowski, who was on duty at that time, picked up the radio call and drove to
the burning apartment. He attempted to climb the stairway but the flames drove him back.
In the meantime the Paulsboro Fire Co. arrived at the scene and drove into the rear of the
apartment. The firemen raised a ladder to the second floor window of the burning building, and Dayton
Cooper, a Paulsboro fireman, climbed through a second floor window and entered the flaming bedroom. He
found Wanda on the floor. He handed her out the window to the waiting arms of the firemen who were on
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the ladders. He returned to the room to get little Kurt who was in his crib. After handing Kurt out through
the window, Cooper climbed out but the flames seared a large portion of his back and sides. As he stepped
onto the high ladder, hot tar began falling from the melted asphalt shingles on the roof. The hot tar burned
Cooper’s hands and he lost his footing and fell down the ladder. Fortunately fireman Joe Zeno was at the
bottom of the ladder and broke his fall. Cooper was rushed to Underwood Hospital. Zeno was injured as
was Alex Mogar. Frank Newton, John Burzichelli and Charles Gill were burned with the hot tar. Robert
Kincaid received a back injury and burns when he fell down the front stairway as he tried to get to the
blazing second floor bedroom.
The firemen thought that the little girl showed a spark of life and one of them tried to give her
artificial respiration by blowing into her mouth. Both children were rushed to the hospital in the community
ambulance where they were declared dead on arrival.
The fire spread to several other apartments in the building which contained eight apartments in all.
The flames raged through the attic which had no walls between the apartments, but was one space over all
eight. The walls between the apartments were pressed board. There were no firewalls.
The families in the damaged apartments were moved into empty ones at the Manor and were also
furnished with the necessary furniture. The Red Cross helped out with the food and clothing.
The Chaplain from the Naval Base and the submarine swept into action immediately after the fire
was out and offered aid to the Holstrom family.
John Parker of apartment 15-A was arrested on a complaint that he used foul and offensive
language toward the firemen as they fought the blaze. Judge Samuel Pote fined him $105. Four firemen
were witnesses to the incident.
Director of Public Safety Earl Miller was at the scene while the fire was at it’s height. Other
officials present were Councilmen Kandle, Rosen and Gattuso. Mayor Billbrough was also there to offer
aid to all.
August 18, 1959
TANK EXPLODES AT DIXON
CHEMICAL PLANT; MAN KILLED
MAN FOUND DEAD AMID RUINS OF STORAGE SHED
A tremendous explosion took place yesterday at noon, felt within a radius of 10 miles, when a
10,000 gallon storage tank, containing a highly inflammable and explosive chemical exploded, setting fire
to a one-story frame storage building adjacent to the tank.
The storage shed was completely consumed by a white hot blaze and after the fire companies
cooled off the charred remains of the building, the body of Raymond Michael, 61, of 638 Delaware Street,
was found badly charred and mangled. Mr. Michael was a janitor at the plant.
Nathan Pinsky, 45, of 227 Riverview Avenue, was in the office of the storage building and jumped
out a window and over a six foot fence. He was taken to the office of Dr. Anthony DiMarino, who treated
him for shock and severe lacerations of the face and chin. A foreign body was also removed from his right
eye. He was later removed to his home where he is resting easier. Two other employees were in the
building but escaped. One of them, said to have been W. Gardner, of Pitman, was using a telephone when
the tank went “swoosh”, and the roof on the building collapsed as he ran out of the building.
Two trucks and a Chrysler convertible parked near the building were also destroyed.
Ordinarily a dozen construction workers ate their lunch in the storage building, but on Wednesday
half a dozen changed to another building 50 feet away. They were employees of the Val Garren
Construction Co. of Philadelphia.
One construction worker, whose convertible was destroyed, went to the parked car a moment
before the explosion to get his lunch and the lunch of a fellow worker, which they had left in the parked
vehicle. The explosion pushed him away as he was walking off with the lunches to the other building.
The heat was very intense. We tried to get some information out of the company officials several
hours after the fire, and a secretary told us that she had prepared a statement for the press which merely
mentioned that an explosion and fire had taken place and that there was one fatality, but the name would
not be released until the next of kin was notified.
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A newspaperman, covering the explosion and fire, knew of the death of Mr. Michael, but did not
know what the exploding tank contained.
From inquiries, we deduct that the huge tank, which was ripped apart, contained waste sulfur from
nearby oil refineries, which was undergoing a catalytic process to be transformed into sulfuric acid, and
while it was being heated, it might have contained a residue of petroleum, which caused gasses. The
explosion followed and the intense heat came from the oil residue in the sulfur, a by-product of the crude
oil, in the process of being refined as gasoline and other by-products.
Fortunately none of the other nearby huge storage tanks were touched and did not explode. We
also presume that had the other tanks exploded, Paulsboro might have had a major catastrophe. Something
our town officials should look into.
The local firemen did a magnificent job fighting the highly combustible flames with foam and
chemicals. Huge dark clouds of black smoke billowed high and could be seen for miles.
Town officials were at the scene ready to lend a hand if needed. The women of the fire company
auxiliary brought coffee and cakes to the scene and served them to the weary firemen. The firemen fought
the blaze for about an hour before they brought the fire under control and cooled the ashes enough to search
for the body of the missing janitor. The offices of the prosecutor, county coroner and county fire marshal
were notified because of the death involved.
A Paulsboro Fire Co. truck was involved in an accident on the way to the fire. The pumper,
driven by Ronnie Murschell, of S. Delaware St., struck a car driven by Mrs. N. Monafo, of 610 Mantua
Avenue, who was on her way home for lunch from the Paulsboro Dress Co. She was proceeding north on
S. Delaware and was struck by the fire engine as it made the turn out of Wood St. onto Delaware St. The
impact forced the car into the wall of the St. Paul’s Church cemetery. The car, although badly damaged was
able to be driven from the scene. Mrs. Monafo was not injured. The fire truck was also able to proceed on
its way to the fire. Sgt. Daniel Angelucci investigated the accident but did not issue any summonses at the
time.
January 27, 1960
PAULSBORO BLAZE WRECKS
FIREHOUSE, $100,000 LOSS
Residents here will remember Friday the 13th as the firehouse of the Paulsboro Volunteer Fire
Association burned down this morning with a loss of more than $100,000. Only part of the concrete-block
walls remained standing after the spectacular blaze swept the two-story building, located at the corner of
Swedesboro and Thomson Avenue’s. The loss included a 500-gallon 1948 Ward LaFrance truck, all
equipment, uniforms and hose lines. Another truck, a 1952 750-gallon American LaFrance, was believed to
have been damaged beyond repair.
Robert Kinkade, company chief, said the fire was discovered around 5 a.m. by Wilbur Dilkes a
news dealer delivering early morning papers. He then proceeded to the police station where he informed
Sgt. James Lloyd, “the firehouse is burning.” Lloyd then broadcast an alarm by police radio and telephone
to nearby communities. Fire companies from Gibbstown, Billingsport, Clarksboro and Mt. Royal
responded.
An eyewitness account of the fire was given by Patrolman Anthony Giordano, one of the first on
the scene after Dilkes notified the police. “Other policemen began arriving at the scene,” Giordano said.
“The intense heat generated punctuated a series of explosions and one loud blast shoved the 1952 American
LaFrance fire truck part way out the front doors of the building, smashing the lower part of the wooden
doors. I used a small fire extinguisher to put out a blaze on the front seat. I jumped in and tried to start it,
but it wouldn’t start,” he said. Giordano said the top part of the doors were wedged between the hose reels
on the top of the truck.
Meanwhile, the other policemen, including Patrolman Raymond Finnan of Gibbstown, and
Patrolman Louis Bramble and Sgt. Frank Purvenas of West Deptford, used their fire extinguishers from the
police cars and extinguished the blaze in the rear of the truck. They then succeeded in helping to push the
big truck out of the inferno. The truck, however, was virtually damaged beyond repair, Giordano said.
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The entire structure was a roaring mass of flames when firemen arrived at the scene. More than
150 firemen were fighting the blaze by 6 a.m. The roof and entire second floor collapsed into the concrete
brick ground floor section. Firemen fought the flames for nearly three hours.
Borough Fire Chief Norman Mower said the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time. Chief
Mower said fire companies Residents here will remember Friday the 13th as the firehouse of the Paulsboro
Volunteer Fire Association burned down this morning with a loss of more than $100,000. Only part of the
concrete-block walls remained standing after the spectacular blaze swept the two-story building, located at
the corner of Swedesboro and Thomson Avenue’s.
Chief Mower said fire companies from surrounding communities have offered their services and
are now engaged in setting up an alarm system in case of fire.
Paulsboro Assistant Chief Kinkade said members of the company had worked in the building until
late last night, readying the fire equipment for appearance in Saturday’s parade in Woodbury for the
Goodwill Fire Company there. “We intend to appear in the parade anyway, even though most of us lost our
uniforms,” he said. Chief Kinkade said the Paulsboro company has more than 50 members. He said the
firehouse was built in 1908.
Also lost was $5,000 in Bingo equipment, chairs, tables, the Original Charter of the Association,
fire records, mementos and personal belongings that can never be replaced were all in the building at the
time of the fire. “The total amount of insurance was $10,000, and to replace what the Association needs to
again render service to the community, will cost about $50,000,” said Kinkade.
One of the spectators sadly observing the ruins was on of the first assistant fire chiefs of the
company, Isaac C. Vanneman, of Woodbury, who served in 1911.
The Paulsboro Fire Association will hold a fund drive next month to help raise money needed to
replace those things lost in the fire. The company will hold bingo in the former dress factory on Jessup
Street. Whatever equipment the company now has, will be housed in the Getz warehouse.
April 13, 1962
CHILD DIES AS FLAMES SWEEP APARTMENTS
Tragedy struck Christmas night as flames engulfed a dwelling at the Paulsboro Garden
Apartments and took the life of four-year-old Darnell Victor, who was found wedged between the bed and
the wall where she apparently was trying to hide from the blaze and was overcome by the smoke.
Mrs. Sharon Victor, her mother, was watching television in the living room of apartment 67-B on
Baird Avenue, with her brother Joseph Williams Jr., when the fire was discovered in the kitchen.
Williams ran to the next apartment and Mrs. Victor went upstairs to get her children out of bed.
She led her sons, Tyrone, 2, and Walter Jr., 3, to safety by hand, but Darnell became frightened and ran
back upstairs. Firemen later looked for her, but didn’t find her in time.
According to Montez Spratley, of Apt. 66-B, Williams came running in asking for help because
there was a fire. “By the time I looked out the door, flames were shooting out the windows,” Spratley said.
It is believed the dead girl, whose father is in the service in Vietnam, died from smoke inhalation.
According to Paulsboro Fire Chief Robert Kinkade, by the time he got to the fire scene, the apartment was
completely engulfed in flames. “If we had been notified of the fire sooner, the girl would have had a chance
to be alive,” he said. He refused to speculate on the cause of the fire, but said he did not believe it began in
the wiring of the apartment.
Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann said the fire apparently started in the kitchen. Two other children died
in a fire at the complex in 1959, the fire marshal said. “Were really in trouble here,” he added.
Mrs. Victor and her two children lost all their clothing, bedding, furniture and Christmas presents
in the fire. On the bed near the victim laid one of her Christmas presents she had received just that morning.
The fire appeared to have done the most damage to the kitchen ceiling, at first sweeping up the
west wall and then up the stairs. The fire marshal indicated the stove could have exploded, but reporters at
the scene observed that the ceiling above the stove was not charred. Both apartments adjoining the one
destroyed by the fire were heavily damaged by water and fire. “I thought the whole row was going to go,”
said Spratley. He stated his wife had though she heard an explosion before the fire was reported.
Firemen from Paulsboro, Billingsport and Gibbstown fought the blaze, which for awhile raged out
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of control for almost an hour. Chief Kinkade said it was impossible to enter the house because the fire had
broken through the walls. Firemen endured freezing sleet as they fought the blaze. Members of the Tenants
Association criticized the firemen at the scene saying “they acted like they were on their way to a Sunday
Social while flames were coming from the house.” They also pointed out the lack of a nearby hydrant.
December 25, 1967
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FLAMES DESTROY 6 HOMES
A four-alarm blaze Monday morning completely gutted and destroyed a row of dwellings along
South Delaware Street near Interstate Route 295. The fire, which is believed to have been started by two
children playing with matches, swept through the six row house leaving 26 persons uninjured but without
any homes. The fire was touched off in the second floor bedroom of the home of John Lawrence at 13
South Delaware Street, according to Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann, and spread rapidly to the remaining five
dwellings. Before the police and firemen arrived, the flames were already racing through all six homes
sending residents scurrying to safety.
While routing some residents, policemen Edward Rhone and Jack Byrd entered the Lawrence
home and found one boy hiding behind a living room sofa and screaming.
Volunteer fire companies from Paulsboro, Billingsport, Gibbstown and East Greenwich had
trouble with water pressure and winds fanning the blaze while trying to put it under control. Water pressure
eventually built up and the fire was under control by 10 a.m., an hour and a half after it started.
All the belongings of the occupants of the two-story masonry and stone homes were destroyed.
The homes were owned by Bertha Waisbain, of W. Broad Street in Paulsboro.
February 5, 1968
THREE CHILDREN
DROWN IN CREEK
Twins and Sister Found after 3-Hour Search
Three young children, all from the same family, drowned Monday afternoon about 4 o’clock at the
Sandwash on South Commerce Street.
The three, Natalie Watts, 11, her twin brother Michael, and sister Donna, 9, were swimming in the
Sandwash where it empties into the Mantua Creek and were apparently pulled under by a strong current.
They were the children of Mr. and Mrs. John Storks of the Paulsboro Manor. The family had just
recently moved to Paulsboro from California.
Police Chief, Daniel Angelucci said the oldest child, David, saw the children go under while
trying to swim to a wooden barge 50 yards away, and ran to the Jones Body Shop, which is nearby. A
mechanic called police, who alerted rescue squads, while Dave Jones and an employee ran to the creek in
an effort to rescue the children, but it was too late.
A brother, David, 13, said he had been in the water playing a game with the 3 when they
apparently stepped into deep water and were pulled under by a strong current. “They would go under like
they were drowning and then I would save them,” he explained. “The last time I thought at first they were
just faking me out.” David and another boy tried frantically to grab the three. David said he was able to
grasp Natalie momentarily, only to have her slip out of his grasp.
Nineteen fire companies and rescue squads responded to the call and began dragging the creek.
The twins were found close together, Michael at 5:30 p.m., by the Brooklawn Rescue Squad and Natalie at
6 p.m. by the Westville Squad. Donna’s body was recovered at 7:45 p.m. by the Woodbury Heights squad
in the same area.
Chief Angelucci said the area had become a favorite swimming spot for youngsters, but police
have tried to keep them out because of the dangerous currents.
There have been several drownings nearby in recent years. The last one was in October when a
man was washed away after his canoe capsized.
An ironic twist was that Monday morning, just a few hours before the drowning, Milton Jones,
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who owns the Body Shop nearby, had talked with the owner of the Sandwash property and had made
arrangements to fence the area off and post no trespassing signs.
The family was just beginning to get back on its feet, according to Edward Rhone, a Paulsboro
Police officer. He said they had no money, food or furniture when he met them about a week ago, but the
father had recently gotten a good job.
The father is a long-haul driver for a Perth Amboy, N.J., trucking firm and was apparently
unaware of the tragedy until returning to Paulsboro the following day.
“I think they were still having trouble paying off some debts in California,” Rhone said.
he met the family last week when he saw the children playing outside when they should have been
in school. There were 5 children - the twins, and Donna, David, and another 10 year-old boy.
They were wearing shabby clothes and the boys needed a haircut. Rhone said there was no
furniture in their apartment and Mrs. Stork was trying to scrape some peanut butter out of a jar to make a
meal. The father had just started working.
Mrs. Stork told Rhone that she had not been sending the children to school because she did not
have money to buy them any “decent clothes.”
Rhone made arrangements for them at local welfare agencies and got the Paulsboro Volunteer Fire
Company to collect clothing for the family. He also got in touch with church and civic groups. Rhone said
he had been making regular visits at the apartment to see how they were getting along.
Rhone took Mrs. Stork to Petrini’s Funeral Home, 300 W. Broad Street, Paulsboro, to identify the
bodies. He said he did not think the family had enough money for funeral and burial expenses. Funeral
services are scheduled to be held on Friday.
Other rescue squads on the scene were: National Park, Verga, Pitman, Deptford, Woodbury,
Barsboro, Franklinville, Gloucester, Mt. Royal, Woolwich, Bellmawr Park, Blackwood Terrace, Westville,
Brooklawn, and Woodbury Heights. The Gloucester Township Canteen volunteered its services at the
request of the Paulsboro Police.
JUNE 5, 1969
FIVE RESCUE ATTEMPTS FAIL,
12 YEAR-OLD BOY DIES IN FIRE
An early morning fire today claimed the life of a 12 year-old boy and severely injured his father. Keith
Brown was pronounced dead on arrival at Underwood Memorial Hospital, Woodbury, shortly before 3 o’clock in
the morning, a little more than an hour after firemen arrived at 210 W. Adams Street, in answer to an alarm
turned in by a neighbor.
Kenneth Brown, 35, the boy’s father, was admitted to the hospital in guarded condition with second
degree burns over most of his upper body and lacerations of the scalp and arms.
Mr. Brown and his son lived in the Adams St. home with Mrs. Anna Brown, 52, the boys grandmother,
and a boarder, Carlton Baylor, 22. Mrs. Brown was taken to the hospital and treated for shock, by the Paulsboro
Police. She was released later. Baylor, although he arrived in the scene shortly after the fire began, was not at
home at the time the flames began to erupt.
The blaze, of a yet undetermined origin, was first noticed by Roy Long around 1:30 a.m.
Long, 26, lives across the street from the Brown house and was watching television when he “heard
glass breaking” and rushed outside. “I saw Mrs. Brown standing in front of the house and Ken lying on the
cement on the front porch. The whole inside of the house was lit up with flames,” Long recounted.
After telling his wife Rosetta to call the police and fire company, Long tried to enter the burning house
through the front door. Greeted by a wall of flame and dense smoke, he went to the rear entrance and had no
more success there.
He said Mr. Brown was badly cut and bruised and breathing pretty heavy, when he got to him, and Mrs.
Brown was in shock.
Long said Mrs. Brown kept shouting that her grandson was still trapped in the raging inferno and
begged for those on the scene to get him out of the house.
Baylor arrived on the scene about 1:35, a moment or two after his friend, Earl Corwin, 23, of
Swedesboro got there.
Both attempted to gain entrance but had little more luck than Long. Corwin did manage to get in
through the rear entrance, but his attempts to get to the upstairs bedroom where Keith was believed trapped were
futile. Baylor tried to get through the first floor bedroom but could not.
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They agreed with Long that the boy’s father had apparently dived through a second floor window to
escape the flames. This contention was later supported by firemen and police. Baylor and Corwin said Mrs.
Brown was running around the rear of the house shouting “Keith is in there, Keith is in there.”
Patrolman Anthony Zumbo said “everything was burning” when he arrived, moments after Baylor and
Corwin attempted their rescue.
“I tried to get in the front, then the back,” Zumbo said. “I pushed the back door open and went in about
three steps, but could not go any further. There was a dog lying on the floor dead. The smoke and the flames
were too thick.”
In desperation, Zumbo hurled his flashlight through the second floor window, hoping it might awaken
the boy.
Witnesses said the first firemen who arrived donned their air packs immediately and tried to get inside.
Their efforts, too, were thwarted by intense flames and billowing smoke.
The large crowd, quiet and hopeful young Brown would somehow escape the ravaging blaze, watched
intently while firemen played water through shattered windows onto flames that continued to lick at the frame of
the two story structure.
No one knew for sure if the boy was in the house. Some said he had a habit of sneaking out at night just
for the fun of it.. There was hope that he had done just this.
Just before 2:30 a.m., firemen were able to bring the blaze under sufficient control to allow entrance
into the house.
Two minutes later a Billingsport fireman came through a wall of smoke to the bedroom window he had
just entered and said “Yeah, he’s in here.” He was found by the fireman lying on the floor under his bed.
An ambulance backed to the door of the gutted house and firemen from the Billingsport and Paulsboro
companies quietly placed the blanket covered body of Keith Brown on a stretcher.
Cause of the fatal blaze, the second in the county in less than 10 hours, was not immediately
determined. But Baylor said it might have been caused by the heater which was located in the basement.
Jan. 28, 1971
SPECTACULAR FIRE DESTROYS
TAVERN AND 4 APARTMENTS
Amazingly Only one person was injured in a spectacular early morning fire
Saturday that destroyed four apartments along with a tavern that was packed with people
attending a gala Halloween party.
injured was Pat Conway, 34, who received first and second degree burns of the
face and arms when she entered the burning building thinking her son was asleep in his
upstairs apartments.
The fire started in the rear of the Golden Spur Tavern at 1100 N. Delaware Street
and the entire rear of the building was a mass of flames by the time the fire companies
arrived shortly after 1 o’clock.
Woodbury’s aerial ladder truck was called in to help fight the fire when ordinary
hoses proved ineffective in bringing the fire under control and the fire spread to an
adjoining building.
A young woman from Gibbstown driving past on Delaware Street saw the fire
and drove to the police station to report it.
Mrs. Conway was attending the party when the fire was discovered. Her son Paul,
who lived in an apartment over the tavern, was at the party earlier and left after telling his
mother he was tired and was going upstairs to go to bed. He evidently changed his mind
and did not go to the apartment.
Mrs. Conway said yesterday that she smelled smoke in the bar and went outside
to investigate. She said she found the building was on fire and hurried back inside to tell
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her husband who was at the party.
The husband and a friend kicked in a front door and went upstairs to awaken Paul
and when they didn’t find him there they came out of the building.
unknown to Mr. Conway, Mrs. Conway had also gone up the steps after him. She
said the last thing she remembered was going up the steps.
Ptl. Andy Byrd responded to the fire alarm and when told Mrs. Conway had gone
into the building and had not come out, he rushed upstairs and carried her to safety.
Gloucester County Fire Marshal, Mr. Lutz and Paulsboro Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann,
made a thorough inspection of the building Tuesday and said the fire started in a rear
stockroom on the first floor and traveled up a back stairway to the apartments.
The fire quickly spread to the adjoining building at 1104 and 1106 North
Delaware Street and one apartment there, occupied by Bill Streeper, was completely
burned out.
Two other apartments in the building, one occupied by Ann Larson and Virginia
Rouse, and another occupied by Edward Stewart were damaged by smoke and water.
Three other occupants of the building lost all their possessions in the fire.
In addition to help from Woodbury, the Paulsboro and Billingsport firemen were
assisted by Gibbstown, and the West Deptford and Gibbstown ambulances. Firemen from
Mt. Royal stood by at the Paulsboro Firehouse while firemen from Repaupo stood by at
Gibbstown.
NOVEMBER 2, 1972
FIRE DESTROYS ENTIRE
BLOCK OF DELAWARE ST.
A stubborn fire destroyed the entire block of N. Delaware St. between Adams and
Washington Streets early Sunday morning before firemen brought it under control.
The fire was discovered in the rear portion of the Vettes body shop at 1115 N.
Delaware St. about 12:30 am by Ptl. Brian Schmutz who was on patrol duty.
Schmutz said he made a door check of the building just 10 minutes before he
noticed the fire inside and everything was fine then.
The fire had already engulfed the whole interior of the brick structure by the time
the firemen had arrived on the scene.
The Verga Fire Co. with their aerial snorkel unit was called immediately and
sprayed water on the blaze from high up in the air. Firemen from Billingsport, Paulsboro,
Gibbstown and East. Greenwich fought the inferno from ground level.
The fire quickly gutted the building, which was formerly occupied by the Veit
Chevrolet Co. years ago, and spread to the attached structure that was formally
The fire was finally subdued when firemen with air packs entered the still burning
structure and drug hoses up to the second floor to get at the flames. Firemen also went
into the beauty shop and removed most of the equipment when it seemed the fire would
spread throughout the building.
Firefighters were hampered in getting to the blaze in the upper part of the old
David Shop building because there were plywood panels nailed over the window
openings.
Two firemen suffered from smoke inhalation and another received a puncture
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wound of the hand while fighting the fire. They were all treated at Underwood Memorial
Hospital, on Woodbury, and released.
Verga Fire Co. also sent their ambulance to the scene and many firemen from
communities nearby came tot he scene on their own to lend assistance.
The East Greenwich Fire Co. stood by at the Paulsboro firehouse to answer any
other possible fire that may occur in town.
Women from the Paulsboro Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary served coffee and donuts to
the firemen throughout the night.
The building at 1111 &1115 N. Delaware is owned by Salvatore Amendolia and
the others by Sam Licciardello.
Two vehicles, one a Dodge camper van, and the other a stake body pickup were in
the garage and were destroyed.
One nearby resident said he was walking his dog near the garage building about
11:30 and detected a strong odor of gasoline in the vicintity.
County Fire Marshal Al Lutz and Paulsboro Fire Marshal Alex Hofmann sifted
through the gutted buildings Sunday morning to determine the cause of the fire.
Councilman Joe Long, chairman of the utilities department, was on the scene
most of the nightto make sure there was sufficent water to fight the fire. Building
Inspector Vito Sabetta made an inspection of the buildings Sunday morningand said he
will recommend that the structures be demolished.
DECEMBER 25, 1974
SUNDAY FIRE DESTROYS
3 PAULSBORO BUSINESSES
Paulsboro’s business district suffered a devastating blow Sunday when a fire of suspicious origin
destroyed three businesses on East Broad Street leaving a family homeless.
The fire, discovered by a pedestrian at 7:30 a.m., raged through the building occupied by M.Y.
Cleaners at 17 E. Broad and Paulsboro Jewelers at 15 E. Broad before spreading to the adjacent apartment
of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Dorfman behind the S. B. Harris Department Store at 11-13 East Broad Street.
The fire spread to the Dorfman’s home so fast that they were forced to flee with only the clothes
on their backs. Their apartment with all its contents was completely destroyed by the fire.
The interior of the jewelry store was completely destroyed along with all the contents. The M. Y.
Cleaners and S. B. Harris store both received severe water and smoke damage.
On Monday morning investigators from the New Jersey State Police arson squad and local
officials began sifting through the debris in an effort to determine what caused the fire.
Borough Fire Marshal Howard Haddock and Det. Ray Gezzi of the Paulsboro Police Department
both said they felt the fire was of a suspicious nature but it was too early to determine the cause. Det. Gezzi
said there had been a previous fire in the M. Y. Cleaners several months ago.
Samples of charred material from the building were sent to the state crime laboratory in Trenton
for tests.
When the fire was first reported, police feared that there were people in the two apartments over
the jewelry store and the cleaners.
Ptl. Ed Steinmentz and Ptl. Wayne Schwebel, who were on patrol on Broad Street when the fire
was discovered, called in an alarm and then rushed upstairs to the apartments to check for possible
occupants.
Shortly after firemen arrived, Dorfman was standing in his back yard watching firemen fight the
fire in the adjoining building. Firemen warned him that he should get his wife out of their apartment
because of the heavy smoke that was coming from the burning building.
Within minutes after Mrs. Dorfman left her apartment the fire burst through the upstairs windows
over the jewelry store setting the Dorfman apartment on fire.
Borough Fire Chief Harry Leuallen said flames were only visible between the wall of the jewelry
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store and cleaners when firemen arrived.
Paulsboro Mayor John D. Burzichelli, who is a volunteer fireman with the Billingsport Fire
Company, said firemen thought the fire was pretty well under control when it suddenly erupted in the
upstairs apartments and broke through to the other building.
The Mayor was on the scene with investigators Monday and was visibly upset over the destruction
to the business district.
Firemen from Paulsboro, Billingsport and Verga fire companies battled the fires and kept the
flames from spreading to several other stores and apartments next to the S. B. Harris store. The Verga Fire
Company was called in with their “snorkel” fire engine with a huge boom that allowed firemen to reach the
inferno inside the buildings.
The Gibbstown Fire Company brought their equipment to the Paulsboro Fire House on standby in
case there happened to be another fire in town at the same time.
Norbert Kominsky and his wife Margaret, owners of Paulsboro Jewelers, said they have made
arrangements to rent the former Brown’s Jewelry store at 1309 N. Delaware Street and plan to reopen for
business in several weeks.
Dorfman, who is 70, said Tuesday that he wants to continue in business but right now that is
uncertain. His entire stock of clothing was ruined by the smoke and water and will probably be disposed of
by the insurance company.
The S. B. Harris building must now be demolished according to borough building codes which
will leave Dorfman and his wife without a store or a home.
The building that housed the jewelry store and cleaners was so badly damaged that it too must be
demolished.
Ironically the stores adjoining the Harris building and the bank are slated for demolition in the
near future to make way for a parking lot for the bank.
August 8, 1976
FLAMING NIGHTMARE
HITS MOBIL REFINERY
Mobil Gas Tank Burns
A spectacular nigh time fire roared through a 3 million gallon storage tank, nearly filled with
gasoline at the Mobil Refinery late Thursday night before being extinguished around 7:30 a.m. today.
Firefighters had doused the flames with the aid of a chemical foam which was sprayed on the fire
for 2 1/2 hours. The blaze, giving off thick oily-black smoke and sending orange fireballs several hundred
feet high into the sky, destroyed the storage tank and threatened two other nearby. More than 200 firemen
from about 18 companies battled the inferno along Mobil’s fire brigade.
State officials stressed the mishap poses no air or water pollution to the area. Company and fire
officials don’t know for sure what touched off the raging flames about 10:20 p.m., but they speculate a
violent electrical storm passing through the area may have created static electricity in the tank and ignited
the contents.
Flames shot out the 120-foot wide tank lid like a volcano for hours, lighting up the sky and visible
for miles away on both sides of the nearby Delaware River. The value of the 70,000 barrel storage tank was
estimated to be three-quarters of a million dollars. The refinery employs 1,400 people and continued
normal operations during the fire.
About an hour after the fire started, the top ring of the storage tank began to glow a deep red from
the 1000 degree-plus temperatures and started to melt inward. Along the northern side, the top quarter of
the rim melted into a pitcher-like lip. The rest of the top section of the 48-foot high tank soon followed as
the steel collapsed into the flaming pit. “It’s contained, as you see,” plant manager Arthur Hiser exclaimed.
“It’s folding in the way it should.”
The melted rim reached the level of the Naphtha, the melting stopped as the fuel continued to burn
off. Firemen concentrated their efforts on watering down a pair petroleum tanks, less than a half a football
field away. As the hoses sprayed water onto the faces of the other tanks, the water was turned to steam by
the intense heat on the surface. The burning tank was surrounded by a six-foot deep dike that Hiser said
would have contained all the burning fuel if the tank had given away.
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As firemen’s water collected in the ditches, the oppressive heat and air convection combined to for
swirling chutes of steam rising from the pools and snaking into the flames and smoke. The chutes then took
off like shooting rockets up through the smoke and high into the night sky.
Hoses carrying water to the scene were strung along the ground like mile-long snakes, leading up
to aerial ladders and stationary nozzles surrounding the fire. They were handled by volunteers who were
dwarfed by the huge tanks.
As the night wore on into the morning, firemen reeled a line down to the Delaware River, just
under a mile away, to pump additional water on the surrounding tanks. Police from surrounding
communities and fire police cordoned off Billingsport Road at Broad Street and at several points below
that. But that didn’t stop crowds of the young and curious from gathering at several points.
William Tamburro, a sales engineer with National Foam System of Lionville, PA., came to the
scene from a fire-fighting class, and started to arrange with his company for delivery of additional chemical
foam to the scene. “I saw it from the Pennsylvania side and I knew it was no flare stick.” Tamburro said the
foam had to be applied in the right proportions to be effective. He said if the blaze were extinguished, the
remaining fuel could still be processed into gasoline.
Meanwhile, Mobil firefighting crews carted the foam machine, barrels of chemicals and a spray
gun to the scene while officials tried to decide how to attack the fire. Crews had to dismantle chain link
fences to get the specialized equipment to the scene.
Initially, volunteer units from Gloucester County came to the aid of the Mobil brigade. By early
morning they were joined by Camden County units from as far away as Watsontown, Kresson and Berlin.
The Camden County Communications mobile van arrived to coordinate the on-the-scene dispatching
duties. In addition, mobile canteens set up shop to offer refreshments for the weary firfighters.
Miraculously, only one fireman was injured. Bill Hulmes of the Billingsport Fire Co. received minor
injuries when a hose snapped.
June 28, 1979
GIRL, 11, DIES IN HOUSE FIRE
An 11 year old girl died early this morning after a fire of undetermined origin ripped through a
dwelling at 615 Beacon Avenue, trapping the youth in a first floor bedroom.
Five other persons were injured in the blaze, which originated in a basement area shortly before
midnight and quickly spread throughout the rest of the house.
Marcelle Bockius was dead on arrival at Underwood Hospital about 12:30 a.m., according to
officials there. She had died of smoke inhalation despite attempts by the firemen to revive her.The
nightshirt clad girl was pulled from the room, located at the left of the front door, after firemen had the
blaze under control, Deputy Police Chief Andy Byrd said.
“The biggest problem was determining where she was,” Byrd said. As firemen removed Marcelle
to an ambulance, one was seen hitting her in the chest area, apparently to try and force breathing. Moments
before she was located, firemen took a small white dog from the structure.
A second person, Donna, 15, was pulled from a first floor bedroom by police officers Brian
Schumtz, Ken Ridinger and Richard Hershey shortly after they arrived at the fire. She was treated and
released from the hospital for smoke inhalation. Also treated for smoke inhalation was the mother,
Charlotte, her daughter Fay, and Officer Hershey. Firemen James Manero was treated for a lacerated hand.
All were released.
The blaze quickly shot up from the basement, engulfing the right side of the first floor. Flames
were also spotted coming out the upper floor. “It went up real fast, and the flames quickly shot out the front
and rear windows as well as the the upper part of the house,” commented Steven Limmani, a neighbor
across the street.
The blaze was extinguished in about 20 minutes. An electrical line leading to a pole at the rear of
the dwelling caught on fire about 30 minutes later, but was put out without additional damage. The house
was heavily damaged by the fire.
The blaze is under investigation by Det. Ray Gezzi and the local and county fire marshals. The
cause of the fire has not been determined.
MARCH 28, 1979
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5 YEAR-OLD DIES IN HOME BLAZE
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A 5 year-old girl died early this morning after she was trapped in the second floor bedroom of her
burning home at 301 Thomson Avenue.
Police identified the victim as Rosalba Feudale. She was pronounced dead on arrival at
Underwood Hospital, Woodbury, at 2:03 this morning of smoke inhalation, a hospital spokesman said.
Patrolman Ken Ridinger said the girl’s mother reported the fire to police at 1:29 a.m. “When we
got there, the adults were outside but the three children were upstairs. The father grabbed me by the arm
and told me the kids were up there,” Ridinger said.
Ridinger and Alvira Marino, 33, an aunt who lived with the family, rescued the family’s two sons,
but were unable to find Rosalba on the second floor of the smoke filled house. The intense heat prevented
Ridinger and Sgt. Roger DeStefano from making a second rescue attempt. “We got the boys out but there
was no way to get back inside. The house went up so fast in flames, it was incredible,” said Ridinger.
“The sad thing was the girl did appear at her window. It was like a silhouette. The windows were
fogged with smoke. Then she drifted away. We were hollering, but there was no ladder up yet. I ran to my
car and grabbed a jack and smashed the window in the next room, hoping she would hear it and come
back,” Ridinger explained. “We tried calling to her but it was futile,” he added.
Police believe the children were brought downstairs, but may have gone back upstairs because
they may have felt safer in their bedrooms.
About 50 firefighters from the Paulsboro and Billingsport fire companies fought the blaze which
was under control by 4 a.m., and extinguished about an hour later.
The structure of the house, located
at the intersection of Huff and Thomson, remained standing but the interior was gutted. The cause of the
fire is still under investigation by the county fire marshal’s office. It is believed that the blaze started in the
rear of the house, said a fire department spokesman.
Ridinger was treated for smoke inhalation and Bill Hulmes, a Billingsport fireman, was treated for
exhaustion at Underwood Hospital. Both were released. No other injuries were reported.
NOVEMBER 13, 1979
RESCUE TRY FAILS IN
FIRE THAT KILLS 3
Police and fire officials are still listing as “undetermined” the cause of a house fire Tuesday that
took the lives of three children and injured their mother. The incident brought to five the number of
children to die in fires in the borough within the past ten months.
The victims, who were pronounced dead on arrival at Underwood Hospital, Woodbury, were
identified as Warren, 4, Theodore, 2 and their sister, Marquita, 11 months old.
Their mother, Lucille Hamilton, 23, who jumped or fell from a second floor window during the
fire at the two story home at 1015 Hofmann Avenue, remains in stable condition at the hospital. She is
suffering from smoke inhalation and first and second degree burns of her arms and hands. All three
children perished because of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation,” said Gloucester County Assistant
Medical Examiner Dr. William Harris, after autopsies were conducted on Tuesday afternoon.Two of the
children suffered minor burns on their foreheads, but the burns were not the cause of death, Harris said.
The blaze, which was reported to police at 10:26 a.m. Tuesday, destroyed the second floor of the
rented, wood frame house. Officials, who are still investigating the cause, said arson was not suspected.
Neighbors who were at the fire scene before police and fire units arrived said Mrs. Hamilton
jumped from a front bedroom window after screaming for help. “All she was saying was will somebody get
my kids,” said Marva Ruffin, of 1016 Hoffman Avenue.
Paulsboro police Sgt. Roger DeStefano and at least two neighbors entered the back door of the
house and tried to go upstairs before the fire units arrived but said they were driven back by the smoke and
flames.
William Hulmes, a member of the Billingsport Fire Co., was the first to reach the children. He said
he found the two younger children lying on a bed in a front bedroom, apparently the same room from
which Mrs. Hamilton had jumped earlier. “I went in first. There was still fire up there. I found two of them
right away. I took them right off the bed and carried them out,” he said later. Rescue workers then began
futile attempts to revive the children, Hulmes said. The other two Hamilton children were in school at the
time of the fire. Their father, Joseph, 29, was in Camden looking for a job. They are being cared for by
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relatives.
The fire apparently started in a rear bedroom and also damaged a portion of the kitchen area
directly beneath it as well as the front bedroom. The downstairs living room appeared to be undamaged.
“The back bedroom is totally burned out and the flames just roared across the ceiling and came out
the front windows,” said William Albers, county fire marshal, after inspecting the damaged house.
Although relatives said the family had called the gas company within the past week to complain
about smelling gas, fire officials noted that a gas stove and heater were not damaged and discounted a gas
explosion as a cause of the blaze.
The blaze itself was extinguished within 15 minutes after the fire trucks arrived, local fire marshal
Howard Haddock said. Some firefighters privately said that hydrants initially had insufficient water
pressure to fight the fire. The narrow street has no hydrants, so fire trucks were hooked up to hydrants 2 1/2
blocks away.
Some residents were openly critical of what they felt were belated attempts to rescue the children
and reportedly shouted abuses at fire and rescue workers. “We had to wait until they were equipped. We
did not try to send anyone in without an air pack,” said Paulsboro Fire Chief Jack Suiter, responding to the
charges. “Self preservation has got to be the most important thing, but I don’t want the interpretation made
that we don’t care about anyone in the fire.” Suiter said that “in my way of thinking, the fire companies
responded within two or three minutes. We had water on the fire immediately because we carry 500 gallons
on the truck.
All of the deaths attributed to fire in the county since the start of 1979 have occurred in Paulsboro.
Mayor John Burzichelli, who is also a member of the Billingsport Fire Co., defended the capability of the
volunteer departments. “I support the fire companies 100%,” he said. “We have the finest equipment in the
county. And as for manpower we have it. I was on all three of the fatal fires recently. There is no
connection between them. It’s a real sad thing. I feel very sorry about it,” Burzichelli added.
January 8, 1980
WORKERS FLEE EXPLOSION
AT WINNER CHEMICAL CO.
Volunteer firemen from three fire departments battled a stubborn blaze for four
hours at the Winner Chemical Company, finally extinguishing the flames shortly after
three o’clock this morning.
There were no injuries but a dozen workers at the plant were immediately
evacuated as orange flames lit up the night sky and firemen poured streams of water over
the 30-foot-high storage tanks.
Safety valves that relieve pressure within the tanks blew in a series of four or five
explosions within 10 minutes of the fire’s start, according to witnesses.
Most of the fire was extinguished within an hour. But flames continued shooting
for hours from a flange king a pipeline to a storage tank that contained 17,000 gallons of
lighter fluid.
Winner Chemical packages motor oil, chemicals and automotive products such as
transmission fluid and radiator flush for several firms. It is the first serious accident in the
plant’s five years of operation, according to company Vice President William Poiesz.
The plant is located on Mantua Avenue along the riverfront. Its neighbors include
the Essex Chemical Company, a BP Co. transport terminal and the Mantua Terminal tank
farm directly across the creek.
A policeman described the explosion as sounding “muffled.” “It may have
sounded muffled up there,” said Patrick Quirk, of Gibbstown, a Winner Chemical
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employee, as he watched firemen fight the blaze. “But it sounded loud down there.”
Quirk said another worker noticed the fire around 11:15 p.m. and told the shift
foreman. Paulsboro Fire Chief Jack Suiter said an employee told him that it appeared to
be a grass fire which workers tried to fight with an extinguisher.
“When it started it looked like a small oil fire on the ground, then it quickly
started working its way across the yard. By the time we got there, it really started
blowing,” Quirk said.
Firemen from Paulsboro, Billingsport and Mt.Royal fire companies soon arrived
on the scene. “It was fully involved when we got here,” said Billingsport fireman Bill
Doak.
Flames covered the ground and climbed up high on the tanks, most of which were
filled with kerosene.
After the main body of the fire was extinguished, firemen continued flooding the
tanks to keep them cool while they battled the flames shooting from the flange.
About 2 a.m., in an attempt to purge the tank, firemen pumped it full of water thus
making the flammable liquid rise to the top. But the burning lighter fluid twice spilled
over the top causing the flames to cascade down the side of the tank and re-light fires on
the ground.
Finally, about 3 a.m., firemen had sufficiently drained the tank. They extinguished
the final flames with a stream of foam.
April 28, 1981
FIRE RIPS THROUGH
DELAWARE ST. APARTMENT
Quick Response of Area Fire and
Rescue Crews Averts Greater Tragedy
Fire swept through two rooms in a second-story N. Delaware Street apartment
Wednesday afternoon, but was halted from spreading to adjacent businesses by the quick
response of the area fire and rescue companies.
Fire began on the second floor of the brick building at approximately 3:50 p.m. in
the afternoon.
Observers on the scene reported seeing menacing three to four-foot flames licking
out of second story windows facing Broad Street.
At first, firefighters believed that there may have been persons entrapped inside
the blazing inferno; however, all occupants had managed to leave the building by the
time the firefighters arrived on the scene.
Paulsboro Fire Chief John Carrow said the fire was confined to a bedroom and the
apartment’s kitchen located in the rear of the building. The fire did not reach the first
floor storefront he said.
“It looked worse than it was” said Carrow.
Carrow said no one was injured in the blaze, which is now under investigation by
the Gloucester County Fire Marshal’s office.
The chief credited the quick response of local units for preventing what could
have amounted to a tragedy for several adjacent Delaware Street businesses.
“As fast as everybody got here, we went from being fully involved to being able
to limit it to only two rooms,” he said. “That’s pretty good.”
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Paulsboro Mayor John Burzichelli, who is a member of the Billingsport Fire
Company, and drove one of the fire trucks responding to the scene, also praised the quick
work of the area firefighters.
“They did an outstanding job on this one. We were very fortunate that nobody got
hurt,” he said.
With temperatures soaring to the low nineties that day, the fire wasn’t the only
enemy of the firefighters.
“Our main concern today was the heat,” exclaimed Ron Colna of the Paulsboro
Ambulance Squad.
Several area firefighters had to be treated on the scene for heat exhaustion.
Several area business owners stood by and watched anxiously in the afternoon
heat as firefighters battled the blaze.
Norbert Kominsky, owner of Paulsboro Jewelers, only three storefronts away,
said he was initially concerned that the fire might spread.
“Glad to see the response by the fire companies was so fast. It’s admirable to see
that we can get that kind of response and protection.”
Fire companies from Paulsboro, Billingsport, Mt. Royal, Gibbstown, Verga,
Repaupo, Thorofare, Woodbury, Bridgeport, and ambulance squads from Paulsboro, East
Greenwich, and West Deptford responded to the emergency.
JULY 24, 1991
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