Introduction
DAVID W. SANDERS had a long and distinguished career with the Camden Fire Department. After serving in the United States Army, he came to Camden and was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on November 22, 1964. He was serving with Ladder Company 3 in December of 1971 when he was injured at the John R. Evans Leather Company fire. He was later promoted to the rank of Captain. Captain Sanders served with Engine Company 6 in the early and mid-1990s. He retired from the Camden Fire Department on November 1, 1998.
After a long and courageous battle with cancer, Captain Sanders passed away on January 13, 2010. After services at Mount Calvary Baptist Church at 1198 Penn Street in North Camden, he was buried at Arlington Cemetery in Pennsauken, New Jersey.
Captain Sanders left his wife of 55 years, Deloris Sanders; five children— Sheila, Linda, Pam, Kevin, and Audie; five grandchildren— Joshua, Sara, Anna, Taelor, Virginia; five siblings— William, Edna, Bernice, Lawrence, and Frances and a host of family and friends.
6 City Firemen Take Oaths
Camden Courier-Post —
J. W. CONVERY
A. E. CULLUM [sic] JR.
D. J. SHEPPARD
D. W. SANDERS
J. R. HERTZ
A. JONES
Department Rolls Now Total 176
Six new members of the Camden Fire Department yesterday were sworn into office by City Clerk Odorisio at ceremonies in the office of Director of Public Safety Kauffman.
The men and one other, to be sworn in Dec. 7, complete the present list of eligibles for the fire department. Kauffman said he will request the Civil Service Commission to set dates for new examinations for fire candidates. The city now enrolls 176 men in the department.
The new members are Daniel J. Sheppard, 22, of 1340 Dayton st.; Joseph W. Convery, 27, of 157 Eutaw ave.; John R. Hertz, 23, of 2916 Congress rd.; Albert E. Cullum [sic] Jr., 28, of 2409 Howell st.; David W. Sanders, 31, of 821 Line st., and Albert Jones, 24, of 220 N. 11th st. The seventh man is Daniel O. Mulvey, 24, of 23 N. 25th st.
The men will be assigned to the fire training school for one month and for one week at a fire school at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.
Fireman Injured as Plant Burns
Camden Courier-Post —
Empty Evans Building Destroyed
By ROBERT N. SANDLER Courier-Post Staff
A 36-year-old fireman, injured yesterday when the ladder from which he was battling a general-alarm fire at a vacant leather tanning plant in North Camden ripped from its base, was reported in satisfactory condition today in Cooper Hospital, Camden.
Thomas DiBiaso, of 2840 Pierce Ave., Camden, was admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit with multiple cuts, a broken wrist and elbow and a possible fracture of the skull.
Witnesses said DiBiaso, a three-year veteran of the fire department, fell about 30 feet and landed on the roof of one plant building when the ladder separated from its base. A second fireman, David Sanders, 38, of 2943 Berkeley St., Camden, who was just starting up the ladder at the time, suffered only minor injuries.
the aid of eight engines and four ladders, including one ladder truck from Westmont Fire Company No.1, fought the blaze in near-freezing temperatures for three and a half hours before it was declared under control at 6:55 p.m. by Fire Chief Frank Deal.
According to Camden County Fire Coordinator Jack Plaskett, men and equipment from Audubon, Brooklawn, Gloucester City, Haddon Heights, Oaklyn, Pennsauken and Woodlynne were stationed in Camden city firehouses. Volunteers of America Firemen’s Canteen was also at the scene.
Cause Probed
Fire officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.
Camden Mayor Joseph M. Nardi Jr. was among the dozens of residents who watched as the fire spread quickly through the 113-year-old brick and frame buildings. A two-story brick wall of one building collapsed.
He called the fire “tragic.” The Camden mayor said he had hoped the former leather plant would be used for a commercial warehouse. He added that a private corporation had considered construction of modular-type homes on the vacant waterfront lots adjacent to the leather plant.
The five-building complex was sold to a New York firm in September, reportedly for use as a warehouse.
One of Largest
Before John R. Evans Co. went out of business last Feb. 26, it was one of the largest leather tanning companies in the area.
Founded in 1858, Evans Leathers imported kidskins and other leathers from India, Africa, South America and other parts of the world.
The plant, which at its peak in 1960 employed about 700 office, production and maintenance workers, processed $12 million worth of leathers for manufacture of shoes and handbags.
According to James Bienkowski, who said he formerly worked for Evans Leathers, the buildingswere [sic] completely empty since last Friday, when he and others workers [sic] removed the last of the equipment for Johnson Machinery of Newark.
DENSE smoke billows from former John R. Evans Company leather tanning plant in North Camden.
Courier-Post Photo by Robert L. Cave
Photos
Ladder Company 3 (second alarm Truck) gets water on fire at the former John R. Evans Leather Company leather tanning plant in North Camden on December 19, 1971. Firefighter Thomas J. DiBiaso operating the ladder nozzle. This incident went to a Fourth Alarm. Photo by Bob Bartosz.
Photo taken moments after Ladder Company 3’s aerial fell, severely injuring Firefighter Thomas J. DiBiaso. Photo by Bob Bartosz.
Photo by Bob Bartosz.
Photo by Bob Bartosz.
It took 3½ hours to bring the blaze under control. These photos were taken shortly before the wall collapsed, as also depicted below and on the cover of Fire Engineering magazine’s March 1972 edition. Photo by Bob Bartosz.
Photo by Bob Bartosz.
John R. Evans & Company factory wall collapsing.
Fire Engineering Magazine Cover
Fire Engineering Magazine —
Cover photograph: firefighters operating at the John R. Evans & Company leather tanning plant fire, December 19, 1971. Photo by Bob Bartosz.
Caption: March 1972 Edition — Fire Engineering Magazine. The Fire of December 19, 1971: John R. Evans & Company Plant Destroyed. Photo by Bob Bartosz.
Evans Leather Company Fire
Camden Courier-Post —
Obituary
Camden Courier-Post —
SANDERS, Captain David. Went home to be with the Lord on January 13, 2010. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Deloris Sanders; five children Sheila, Linda, Pam, Kevin, and Audie; loving grandfather to Joshua, Sara, Anna, Taelor, Virginia; five siblings William, Edna, Bernice, Lawrence, and Frances and a host of family and friends. David was a proud employee of Camden County Fire Department for 33 years with a promotion to Captain. He proudly served his country as a military member in the US Army; he was also a board member for Park Place Home Association. Relatives and friends are invited to attend on Thursday January 21st, 9–11am at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, 1198 Penn Street, Camden. Funeral services will follow at 11am. Burial at Arlington Cemetery, 1620 Cove Road, Pennsauken. Ministry of comfort entrusted to MAY FUNERAL HOMES, Camden, Pennsauken, Willingboro and Vineland.