Introduction
Ladder Company 3 was organized on March 1, 1900, and entered service on that date in the East Camden firehouse at North 27th and Federal Streets. Sharing a building for over 100 years with Engine Company 9, Ladder Company 3 continues to protect Camden from its home at North 27th and Federal Streets. Battalion 2 is also headquartered at this location.
Ladder Company 3
About 1905
1905
Trolley Hit Ladder Truck
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Ladder Company 3 — Edward Kelly — W. Scott Franklin — Frederick Morse — Dr. H.H. Sherk — North 27th Street — Westfield Avenue
TROLLEY HIT LADDER TRUCK
Three Camden Firemen Narrowly Escaped Being Killed
Three Camden firemen narrowly escaped death yesterday when a Camden and Trenton trolley car crashed into the hook and ladder of Truck Company No. 3. Edward Kelly, the tillerman, was badly injured about the head and back, while Frank Morse and Scott Franklin received lacerations. They were treated by Dr. H. H. Sherk. It was just after morning practice, while the team was being taken back to the fire house, that the accident occurred. The driver attempted to cross Westfield avenue at Twenty-seventh street in front of the car. The motorman applied the brakes, but was unable to avert the collision. The apparatus was badly damaged, but the horses escaped injury.
1916 Boyd C.S.T. — Combination Ladder and Chemical
1916 Boyd C.S.T. — Combination Ladder and Chemical
1957 American LaFrance 4-Wheel Drive 75-Foot Aerial Ladder
May 1960 — 1957 American LaFrance 4 Wheel Drive 75 foot Aerial Ladder
Turning south onto Westminster Street from 100 block of Marlton Avenue.
July 1960 — 1957 American LaFrance 4 Wheel Drive 75 foot Aerial Ladder
1957 American LaFrance 75 foot Aerial Ladder
Named: 1950s and 1957 American LaFrance 75 foot Aerial Ladder.
3500 Block of Federal Street
April 29, 1968 — 1957 American LaFrance 75 foot Aerial Ladder
3500 Block of Federal Street
Apparatus
August 1972
Named: 1976 Maxim “F” Series, 100 foot Tiller, and Aerial Ladder.
1983 Mack 75-Foot Tower Ladder
1983 Mack 75 Foot Tower Ladder
Fire at 3303 Federal Street — 1980s–1990s
About 1990 — State Street, North Camden
Hook & Ladder Company 3, Hose & Chemical Company 1 & Engine Company 9
1924
Hook & Ladder Company 3: Captain Joseph B. Ayres, FF Dave Humphries, Al Dukes, J.A. Mulligan, Bill Mountney, Bill Hopkins.
Hose & Chemical Company 1: Captain Charles H. Robinson, FF William E “Pud” Jaeckel, George Townsend, Ken Naylor, Howard Gick.
Engine Company 9: Captain John H. Vickers, FF Irv Lederman, Newton Ash, Joe Gentlesk, Al Palmer
Firemen Prepare Toys for Poor Children
Camden Evening Courier —
William Foehl — Charles Schultz — Newton Ash — Irvin K. Lederman
Engine Company 9 — Engine Company 11 — Ladder Company 3
East Camden — North 27th Street — Hayes Avenue — Federal Street
Firemen Prepare Toys for Poor Children
—Courier-Post Photos
If there is to be a cheerless and toyless Christmas anywhere among the poor, it will not be in the easterly section of the city. That is, not if the firemen of East Camden’s two firehouses and business men know anything about it. For many weeks now, the smoke-eaters from the fire stations at Twenty-seventh and Federal streets and Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue, in co-operation with the store-keepers, have been collecting toys, which have been tossed aside by more fortunate children, and have been reconditioning them, so that those who gave them up as “junk” could not now tell them from new playthings. In the two photos above it can easily be seen that the fire-fighting Santas are determined to make many children happy on Christmas Day. In the upper picture, Firemen William Foehl (holding sled) and Charles Schultz are shown at work on some of the toys, etc. In the lower picture, Firemen Newton Ash and Irvin K. Lederman have just finished piling up a part of the completed gifts. The toys will be distributed the day before Christmas to children who write to “Santa Claus” at his headquarters at the Federal street firehouse.
Ladder 3 on Federal Street
Circa 1946 — Photos by Bob Bartosz
Camden Ladder 3 city service truck with chemical tank and 55’ extension ladder, about 1946 at 27th Street and Federal Street
Ladder Company 3 & Engine Company 9
Circa 1946 — John Mulligan passed away in July, 1947
Front Row: Clarence Madden, Newton Ash, Howard “Waxie” Harrington, Dave Humphries, Howard Gick
Back Row: John Mulligan, unknown, Tim Shanahan, Acting District Chief Henry Zook, Harry Allebach
E9: Tim Shanahan, Howard “Waxie” Harrington, Howard Gick, unknown, Newton Ash
L3: Johnny Mulligan, Dave Humphries, Clarence Madden, Harry Allebach, unknown, Henry Zook
Ladder Company 3 Run Logs
Ladder Company 3 Runs — January 1, 1958 to June 30, 1958
Ladder Company 3 Runs — July 1, 1958 to December 31, 1958
Ladder Company 3 Runs — January 1, 1959 to June 30, 1959
Ladder Company 3 Runs — July 1, 1959 to December 31, 1959
Ladder Company 3 Runs — January 1, 1960 to June 30, 1960
Fire at John R. Evans & Company
— Photos by Bob Bartosz
Fire at John R. Evans & Company — December 19, 1971
Ladder Company 3 in Action
East Camden, Circa 1990
A scene unchanged for more than 125 years, the men of the Hook and Ladder Company operate above the fire while opening the roof of a burning building with axe and muscle. Ladder Company 3 in East Camden, circa 1990.
Ladder Company 3
About 2000
Named: Sam Balakas, Denis O’Reilly, John Church, Battalion Chief Donald Kelly, and Javier Matos.
620 Sycamore Street — June 17, 2006
Story and Photo: Bob Bartosz
Busy 24 Hours in Camden NJ — 6 Working Fires along with a Rescue
Camden Firefighters had a Busy 24 hour tour starting on June 16th and ending on June 17th with Four All Hands Fire and Two second alarms all in the South Camden section of the city.
The first job was a working fire in a row of two story dwellings in the 1200 block Morton Street. Later that day they had a working fire in the middle of a row of two story dwellings in the 700 block of Spruce Street a few hours latter in the am hours they were call to the 700 block of Cherry Street.
First in companies found heavy fire show in a large 3 story brick dwelling that put all companies to work within minutes part of the structure collapsed. Battalion 1 called for a second alarm. A few minutes latter while to fire was going another alarm came in for a working fire at 908 Haddon Avenue, about 6 blocks away.
As the companies were coming in they found another blaze a block away from the first job, in a row of 2 story dwellings at 903 Haddon Avenue.
Fire Radio put in a Special call to Camden County Fire Units to respond into the City. Fire Companies from Gloucester City, Oaklyn, Westmont, Collingswood, Pennsauken Township were put to work fighting these blazes. By 4:30 AM all the fires were placed under control.
A few hours later Firefighters were dispatched to 620 Sycamore Street for an Explosion and Fire with reports of people trapped. Engine 8 was first in with Captain Dan Baker. He reported he had the end of a row brick 2 story dwelling that had exploded and had numerous people injured and one victim still trapped on the collapsed second floor and he requested the Second Alarm to be transmitted.
Rescue 1 was arriving with Captain Frank Sandrock and Battalion 1 Chief Daryl Lewison along with Squad 7 and Engine 1 and Ladder Companies 2 and 1 and Battalion Chief 2 Mike Dipascale on the second alarm with Engine Companies 6 and 9, Ladder 3 and Special Operations Rescue unit and Car 3 with Deputy Chief Mike Harper and Chief of Department Joseph Marini in Car 1.
Firefighters could hear a female calling for help from the collapsed second floor.
Firefighters went to work shoring up the collapsed building. Captain Sandrock of Rescue 1 was OPS Officer. About 30 minutes later firefighters were able to get to the badly injured woman. She had burns over 70 percent of her body. Rescue 1 firefighter Eli Hall was sent up the ladder to bring her down. Camden EMS removed her to Cooper Hospital Trauma.
Two other males were blown out of the second floor of the building onto the street and were taken to the hospital by Camden EMS. Two of the victims were admitted in critical condition. Car 3 Harper place the assignment control.
The explosion is under investigation by the Camden Fire Marshal Office and Camden Police Arson Unit along with the ATF. Cherry Hill Twp Canteen Unit RIT team and Rehab Unit, and County Fire Police and Camden County Field Com units were Special called. This was a Busy 24 hours with 4 All Hands and 2 second alarm fire and a life saving rescue.
Ladder 3 after Working an All Hands Fire
100 Block of North 34th Street — — Photos by Bob Bartosz
Chris Baker — Duane Goobic — Chris Barrientos — Andrew Magee
Robeir Scott
Frank Feliciano — Dan Baker — Chris Barrientos
418 Grant Street, North Camden
— Bob Bartosz CFD Photo
Members of Ladder Company 3 and Engine 9 at 2 Alarm Fire, 418 Grant Street, North Camden — December 1, 2007
From Left: Dan Seybert, Denis O’Reilly, Captain Sam Balakas, Andy Guzman
Looking West on Grant Street — From Left: Andy Guzman, Dan Seybert, Capt. Sam Balakas, Denis O’Reilly
416, 418, 420, & 422 Grant Street, North Camden
617–619 Bailey Street
— Photographs by Bob Bartosz
Camden NJ Fire Fighters Battle Smokey 2 Alarm Blaze
Shortly after 1:00 PM on December 13, 2007 a police car on patrol spotted heavy smoke coming from a row of vacant dwellings in the 600 block of Bailey Street in the North Camden section of the city. At the same time Camden Country Fire Radio and Camden Police 911 Center were receiving calls for the same fire location. Companies were now dispatched along with Battalion 2 Chief Mike DiPascale. Fire Radio informed Battalion 2 that they were receiving numerous calls and were adding the extra Engine Company to the Box.
Engine Company 6, under the Command of Captain Sandrock was first on location and reported that he had a row of two story vacant dwellings with the first two dwellings heavily involved and that he was going in service. Battalion 2 was now on location and informed Fire Radio to strike an All Hands Box and requested an additional Engine and Ladder Company to be dispatched.
It was a rainy, misty day and the smoke was so heavy that fire fighters had a hard time trying to see up the street to where the fire was located. All of the dwellings were heavily boarded up, making it extremely hard for the fire fighters to make entry. Truck Companies went up to the roof to ventilate. Six 1-3/4” lines were now in service as fire fighters were making good progress attacking the fire. They were able to contain the blaze to two dwellings with some damage to the third dwelling. About 40 minutes into the fire Chief DiPascale placed the fire Under Control. The fire is being investigated by the Camden City Fire Marshal’s Office and the Camden Police Department Arson Squad.
Members of Engine Company 6, commanded by Captain Sandrock, going into 617 Bailey Street
Members of Ladder Company 3 in the command of Captain Andy Magee heading to the roof to ventilate
Smoke was so heavy that the fire fighters had a hard time seeing up the street.
Members of Ladder Company 1 led Captain Merklein and Rescue Company 1 under Captain Glassman making entry to the heavily boarded up dwellings.
Fire fighters force their way through heavy smoke to attack the blaze.
Fire fighter used a chainsaw to cut through the boarded-up door.
Ladder 3 on Federal Street
Ladder 3 on Federal Street — December 14, 2011
Credits
Many of the photographs on this website are from the limited edition book Fire Department Camden NJ 125 Anniversary 1869–1994 and were taken by Department Photographer Bob Bartosz. Others are courtesy of Joel Bain of the Camden Fire Department.