Introduction
Bernard Gallagher was born in July of 1872. He was living with his wife Celia at 278 Mt. Vernon Street and working as a bill collector from the 1890s through at least 1906. He moved to Gloucester City where he had a cigar store in the late 1900s, and did not return to Camden until after 1914. Bernard Gallagher worked as a detective, most likely at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation Shipyard, but possibly with the Camden Police Department in the late 1910s and 1920s before obtaining a position as the City Fire Marshal in Camden NJ in 1928. He was named temporary fire marshal as early as 1928, and served in that capacity until 1931, when the job was abolished. He was rehired in 1936, and stayed with the city until August 8, 1949, when he went out on sick leave. He was succeeded as Fire Marshall by Maurice O’Brien.
Bernard Gallagher was left without his city pension when it was discovered that his appointment was in violation of a city ordinance requiring the fire marshal be named from the ranks of the city fire department, of which he never was a member.
Bernard Gallagher was living at 1250 Princess Avenue, in Camden’s Parkside neighborhood with wife Celia and daughter Hazel when the 1918–1919 City Directory was compiled. His wife had passed prior to the April 1930 Census. Bernard Gallagher is shown in the 1947 City Directory as living with his second wife, Therese, at the Princess Avenue address, and his daughter Hazel resided there as well. Bernard Gallagher passed away on June 2, 1951.
Fire-Fence Probe Refused by City
Camden Courier-Post —
Officials Declare They Have No Jurisdiction in Factory Blaze Controversy
City officials declared today they would make no investigation into the erection of two large fences which firemen say hampered them in fighting the $225,000 fire at the Varoma Building, Second and Erie streets, early Thursday morning.
The fence, erected by the John R. Evans & Company, cuts off Segal street and prevented the firemen from entering an alley from Front street which would have enabled them, they said, to fight the fire from the rear.
Bernard Gallagher, fire marshal, said there was sufficient water without the firemen using the blocked fire plug on Segal street.
“It required only 150 feet more of hose to circle the yard and this was attached so quickly the Segal street plug was not necessary. We are not planning any investigation,” he said.
Vincent P. Dougherty, vice president of the Allied Metal Stamping Company, whose firm suffered a $75,000 loss, and C. E. Perrin, head of the Philadelphia Metal Stamping Company, which lost $50,000 in the blaze, yesterday asked Mayor Price to order an investigation.
George W. Johnson, building inspector, said today the city had no authority or jurisdiction in the matter.
“The fence was built on the Evans property and no authority is necessary from the city for the erection of a fence,” he said. “There is no regulation I know of requiring gates to be placed in a private fence.”
Fire Marshal Portrait
Camden Courier-Post —
William S. DeBrinn
Charles L. Gallagher Dies In San Francisco
Camden Courier-Post —
Word was received in Camden yesterday of the death of Charles L. Gallagher, former well-known resident of this city and brother of Bernard A. Gallagher, former fire marshal.
The deceased was 80 years old and died yesterday in San Francisco. He was a retired engineer on the American Shipping Line.
Gallagher left Camden 20 years ago. He was formerly an active worker in the parish of the Immaculate Conception Church, Broadway and Market Street. He will be buried in California.
Fire Marshal's Pension Plea
Camden Courier-Post —
Fire Marshal Record Card
8 Listed Dead In Home Fire
Trenton Times —
CAMDEN, N. J.—AP—Eight persons died in a flaming Camden house yesterday.
A 40-year-old woman, 6 of her 14 children, and a grandson perished as rescuers vainly attempted to gain entrance to the small two-story dwelling.
Fire Marshal Bernard Gallagher said the death toll was the third highest from fire in the city’s history.
He listed the dead as: Mrs. Gladys Johnson; her children Lawrence 8, Howard 9, Mary 3 months, Pauline 5, Catherine 7, Susanna 18, and Susanna’s son Frederick, 2 months.
Gallagher said the bodies of the victims were huddled in front of two windows of the two bedrooms in which they met death. Six other members of the family escaped.
The flames wiped out a grocery and general contracting offices of the father of the family, Andrew Johnson, 45, who was rebuffed by flames as he tried to raise a ladder to an upstairs window.
Gallagher said the fire apparently was caused by a defective connection of an oil stove in the first floor kitchen.
He said one of the survivors, 13-year-old James Johnson, gave this account of the start of the fire:
The family was sleeping when he awoke and started to light an oven to bake bread. Flames started to drip from a feed line into the tank. “Then the whole kitchen was on fire.”
The blaze then cut off the doorway to the living room preventing him from running to arouse the family. His screams awakened the others.