Introduction
John DiMaggio
JOHN DI MAGGIO was born in 1920 to Mary and John DiMaggio. His parents had lived at 811 Clare Street in the summer of 1917 and were still there in the spring of 1918. By January of 1920 the DiMaggio family was making its home at 319 Beckett Street in South Camden. John DiMaggio operated a DiMaggio’s Sunoco Service Station at 1458 Haddon Avenue in the late 1940s and in the 1950s had DiMaggio’s Esso Service Station at 915 South 3rd Street. Besides Santo, the family included two brothers, Santo and Anthony.
Santo DiMaggio was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on January 13, 1951. He reported for duty three days later. Santo DiMaggio served with Engine Company 3 early in his career. John DiMaggio was appointed to the Department on February 1, 1951.
John DiMaggio served for 39 years with the Camden Fire Department, retiring at the rank of Captain on March 1, 1990.
As well-loved a man who ever wore a fire helmet in the city, he was a fixture at the firehouse right up until the time of his passing, driving into Camden from Audubon every evening to feed the cats who lived around the building. His memory for names, dates and places in Camden was nothing short of amazing… no surprise, as the Captain was an amazing man.
John DiMaggio passed away in his sleep on May 21, 2013.
37 Camden Men Pass Tests for City Firemen
Camden Courier-Post —
Thirty-seven candidates have passed the Civil Service test for fireman in the Camden City fire department. Thirty-two of those who qualified are former service men and three of them, disabled veterans, were placed at the top of the list under the preference given by law.
Joseph T. Hackett, of 158 Branch Village, is listed first, Owen D. Gale, 320 Marlton avenue, second and August L. Johnson, 916½ Chestnut street, third.
The salary on Jan. 1 will begin at $2400 and reach a maximum of $3160 after four years.
Following is the complete list of those who qualified in the test:
Joseph T. Hackett, 158 Branch Village; Owen D. Gale, 320 Marlton avenue; August L. Johnson, 916 Chestnut street; Harry Sterling, 112 Ablett Village; Albert A. Stinger, 1423 Bradley avenue; Jesthroe Hunt, 753 Walnut street; Harold H. Pike, 429 Penn street; Roy R. Moffa, 216 Morse street; Allen F. Hess, 2733 Sherman avenue; Franklin W. Whylings, 602 North Thirty-second street; William L. Gosnell, 3303 Crescent drive; David W. Humphries, 3017 Mickle street; William G. Winstanley, 510 Penn street; Joshua H. Robinson, 1934 Kossuth street; Henry S. Keubler, 936 Broadway; Adolph S. Zubrzycki, 1223 South Tenth street; Ralph H. Palmer, 585 Mickle street; Alexander P. Matis, 903 Haddon avenue; Earl G. Robinson, 1036 Penn street; Anthony J. DiMaggio, 530 South Eighth street; Earl A. Smith Sr., 201 Biedeman avenue; Philip J. MacDonald, 123 North Eleventh street; Robert P. Olesiewicz, 321 Mt. Vernon street; Eugene E. Demers, 2034 High street; Chester J. Gedrich, 1154 Thurman street; John F. Chudzinski, 1043 Thurman street; Samuel D. Siniscalki, 803 Line street; Santo DiMaggio, 319 Beckett street; Ludwig Polniak, 471 Pfeiffer street; George P. Baxter, 817 Howard street; Ralph F. Schaffer, Canterbury apartments; Joseph J. McTaggart, 3135 Waldorf avenue; Louis J. Monahan, Canterbury apartments; John DiMaggio, 319 Beckett street; William N. Stone Jr., 950 Vine street; Casper J. Martelli, 220 Mt. Vernon street; and H. Raymond Dixon, 439 Trenton avenue.
Firemen Here Get Advanced First Aid Course
Camden Courier-Post —
More than 40 members of the Camden Fire Department have completed the Red Cross course in advanced first aid according to announcement today by Howard F. Keller, Collingswood, chairman of the Camden County Chapter’s first aid committee.
Instruction sessions were under the direction of Fire Chief William V. Pfefferle, Drillmaster Anthony Dzinski, a member of the local chapter first aid group, assisted by Nicholas E. George, were instructors. Dzinski is a member of the Red Cross faculty at the National Aquatic School held in this area each year for instruction in advance safety techniques. Dick Harris, director of Red Cross safety services, supervised.
All members of the graduating class are personnel of several units housed at fire department headquarters here. These include the Headquarters Company, Engine Company 2, Rescue Squad 1 and truck company 1. these groups include:
Rescue Squad: Captains Arthur Batten, Philip A. Stinger and Albert Weller; Edward Brendlinger, Harrison Macneir, Robert Olesiewicz and James W. Smith.
Headquarters Company: Raymond Banford, John K. Voll and John W. Yates.
Truck Company 1: Captains Daniel Jiannetto, Robert E. Dukes and Otto V. Kaiser; William Watkin, Chester Gedrich, George Baxter, John Mogck, George C. Hennessy, Charles Devlin, Ambrose W. Faust, Joseph McTaggart, Howard R. Taggart, William G. Winstanley and Elmer Johnson Jr.
Engine Company 2: Captains James R. Asher, Thomas Winstanley; Carl Wirtz, James McGrory, Edwin V. Decker, James Stewart, Francis X. McTaggart, Anthony T. Orme, Mario D. Fattore, James O. Jones, Francis P. Stibi, William Hopkins, Robert E. Briggs, John Giuliano, Casper Martelli, Harold H. Pike, John J. Vane, William Stibi, John DiMaggio and Harry Kleinfelder.
3 Boys Killed in Camden Fire
Camden Courier-Post —
2 Row Homes Destroyed
By EDMUND J. CHELLAND and JAY APT
Courier-Post Staff
Three small boys died and four other persons were injured today as a flash fire swept two Camden row houses at 317–319 Mechanic Street.
One of the injured persons was hurt after leaping from a second floor window. Another was injured dashing through flames and smoke to safety. Two other persons escaped unharmed from the burning buildings.
Fire Marshall George Baxter and Fire Chief Edward Michelak said a kerosene space heater apparently malfunctioned and set off the blaze in the two-story frame home at 317 Mechanic Street shortly before 9 a.m.
Pronounced dead on arrival at West Jersey Hospital was Thomas Carter Ratcliffe, 9, of 317, and his nephews, Randy Smith, 1, of 319, and the latter’s brother, Robert, 2.
The baby was found dead in his crib. His brother and uncle were found dead in the uncle’s bedroom. The older Smith boy was believed to have run from his home through a second floor door to the adjacent home.
Treated at the same hospital were Mrs. Emiline Green, 66, of 321; Edwood Sharp, 39, of 317; Philip Borelli, a fireman attached to Ladder 2; and Patrolman James Snyder, 25, of 835 N. 35th Street.
Mrs. Green, a great-grandmother of the Smith brothers, was admitted for treatment of shock.
She tried to dash through a second floor door linking her home to 319, but flames drove her back. She was led to safety by her husband, James, 60, custodian of a Glassboro dress factory.
Green also carried to safety the Ratcliffe boy’s sister, Shirley, 4, who had spent the night with them. Green and Shirley were unhurt.
Leaps 2 Floors
Sharp was admitted for treatment of a broken right ankle suffered when he leaped to the pavement from a second-floor window. He told police he was aroused by the fire, made a futile effort to rescue the Ratcliffe boy, then was forced to jump because of the intense heat and flames.
Borelli was overcome by smoke while battling the blaze. He was treated at the hospital and then returned to the scene.
Patrolman George Pugh discovered the fire as they cruised in the neighborhood in Car No. 23. They radioed an alarm, then tried to force their way into the house at 317 to rescue its occupants. A blast of heat and flame forced them to retreat as they opened the front door.
SHROUD-COVERED body of one of three boys who died in row house fire on Mechanic Street near 4th Street is carried out by firemen while neighbors look on from nearby porch.
CAMDEN POLICE lead woman tentatively identified as the grandmother of three children killed in fire away from scene of tragedy.
Firemen Find Bodies
More than 15 pieces of fire and rescue equipment responded to two alarms. They managed to keep the flames from spreading to the house at 321, although it suffered heavy smoke and water damage.
Five firemen searched the flame-and-smoke-filled buildings for the trapped boys and carried the bodies out.
The firemen were Benjamin Walter of Truck 2; William Kamman of Engine 3; William Stibi of Rescue 1; John DiMaggio, acting captain of Rescue 1 and John McGregory, a fire captain.
Three other occupants of the burned buildings were away at work at the time the fire broke out.
Coal Stove Out
Chief Michelak said they are Mrs. Emma Lou Ratcliffe, of 317, who is employed by a Swedesboro cleaning establishment; Mrs. Patricia Smith of 319, who is employed by a Pennsauken cleaning establishment, and William Roane, 25, of 319, who is employed by a Camden barrel reconditioning firm.
Mrs. Ratcliffe is the daughter of Mrs. Green. She is the mother of Shirley and Thomas Carter Ratcliffe and of Mrs. Smith. The latter is the mother of Randy and Robert Smith.
The fire chief said that Mrs. Smith told him that she had found a cellar coal stove had gone out when she awakened to go to work. He said she told him she lit the kerosene heater and left for work about 8:25 a.m.
Personnel listed in connection with the Mechanic Street fire response
ABOVE, LEFT: SMOKE SWIRLS around fireman as he leans from second-floor window of row house on Mechanic Street near 4th Street where three small boys perished in blaze.
Police, Fire Tests Take Heavy Toll
Camden Courier-Post —
Courier-Post Bureau
TRENTON — The high rate of failures on police and fire examinations was repeated yesterday in the Civil Service Department’s announcement of the results of tests for fire captain and patrolman in Camden City.
In the captain’s test, 23 passed, 64 failed and two did not show up for the test. In the test for patrolman, 10 passed, 32 failed and 14 failed to show. In the non-residents’ test for Camden patrolman, six passed, eight failed and five did not appear.
In the fire captain’s test, Kenneth M. Clark of 111 North 26th St., Camden, a veteran, qualified with a score of 92.6, highest for the seven veterans who qualified. Joseph R. Gfrorer of 3040 N. Constitution Road, Camden, was highest of applicants with a score of 96.5.
In the residents’ patrolman test, Robert D. Craig of 817 Vine Street was high with 78. In the non resident’s test, Edwin B. Hoffman of 514 Walnut Street, Audubon, a veteran qualified with 72.2 and Flem J. Hopkins Jr. of 113 Estates Ave., Pine Hill, was high with 78.
Others who passed the fire captain’s test were:
George D. Getty of 1111 N. 34 St., 95.4; John DiMaggio of 319 Beckett St., 94; Joseph J. Anderson of 2406 Denfield St., 92.96; Philip A. Maycott of 2836 Lincoln Ave., 90.5; James McMaster of 402 N. 37th St., 90.2; William D. Hillman of 3071 Constitution Rd., 89.4; Joseph Arensberg of 1041 N. 32nd St., 88.3; Robert E. Briggs of 2861 Congress Road, veteran, 86.3; John S. Brzozowski of 371 N. 34th St., 86.2; Edmund F. Gorczynski of 272 N. 33rd St., veteran, 85.4; Anthony F. Orme of 3317 River Ave., veteran, 82.4; William B. Young of 1126 N. 33rd St., 80.5; William D. Ayers of 2846 Pierce Ave., veteran, 79.1; Joseph Dowhy Sr. of 866 Beideman Ave., veteran, 78.9; James O. Jones of 3214 Mitchell St., 78.3; Joseph Chelhowski of 1324 Sheridan St., veteran, 75.8; James T. Robinson of 504 Trenton Ave., 75.5; Anthony D. Moffa of 23 Leonard Ave., 73.3; Robert E. Davenport of 1026 Reeves Ave., 73; John F. Gaffney Jr. of 78 S. Dudley St., 72.8, and Albert E. Collum Jr. of 2409 Howell St., 72.6.
Patrolman (residents) who passed:
Joseph A. Fox of 2117 Mount Ephraim Ave., 77.1; Charles W. Cahilly 2d of 2015 Westminster Ave., 75.; Edward B. Bush of 3210 Mitchell St., 78.9; John F. Oppmann of 550 N. 30th St., 77.7; Gary E. Miller of 486-A Rand St., 77.4; Donald J. Tymusczuk of 2737 Concord Ave., 75.1; Joseph A. Broccoli of 1467 Pershing St., 74.2; Richard W. Merta of 1641 Pulaski St., 72.9, and Robert G. Gibson of 572 Clinton St., 72.6.
Patrolman (nonresidents) who passed:
Flem J. Hopkins Jr., 78; Elwood L. Ridge, 75.4; Joseph E. Benton, 74.7; David Vautier Jr., 74.1, and Frank R. Pedano, 73.8.
Photos
Engine Company 1 in South Camden, 1989. From left to right: Captain John DiMaggio, Firefighters Rich Marter, Jim Peterson, & Greg Murphy.
4-alarm fire hits City Hall
Camden Courier-Post —
Records safe, no injuries
By TONY MULDOON
Of the Courier-Post
CAMDEN — An intense four-alarm fire shortly before 2 a.m. today damaged the purchasing and building maintenance department offices on the 14th floor of City Hall.
Although the fire was contained within the offices of county building superintendent James Hainsworth and purchasing agent John M. Kennedy on the northwest corner of the 14th floor, four alarms were struck.
Battalion Chief John Giuliano explained he feared he might have to evacuate the 320 prisoners being held in the Camden County Jail seven floors below.
One firefighter suffered a minor leg injury, said Giuliano.
Radio station WSSJ, located on the 18th floor, was evacuated and off the air for an hour.
The greatest danger, other than to personnel, was to the critical records stored in Kennedy’s office, county officials said. County business could have been thrown into almost hopeless confusion had those records been lost, said Camden County Sheriff William J. Simon.
“Those guys did a hell of a job,” Simon said of the firefighters. “That whole floor could have gone.”
Simon and his staff are working on alternative fire evacuation plans for the jail, whose population is nearly double the 175 inmates it was designed to accommodate.
Damaged offices on the 14th floor of Camden City Hall
4-alarm fire ravages 2 county offices in City Hall
Continued from Page 1A
Both the purchasing agent’s office and the building superintendent’s office were expected to be able to continue functioning without much inconvenience, said county officials, although Hainsworth’s department will have to move to a temporary office in the 18-story building.
No prisoners were evacuated.
The cause of the fire was unknown early this morning, said Camden County Fire Marshal David Aron.
The fire was detected by the building’s smoke detection system and reported by security officers at 1:50 a.m. Subsequent alarms were struck at 1:58 a.m., 2:11 a.m., and 2:24 a.m., according to county fire officials. The fire was declared under control at 2:42 a.m.
The fire may have been smoldering since about 1 a.m. WSSJ announcer E.A. Wood said he smelled what he thought was smoke around 1 a.m. but did not realize it was from a fire in the same building.
“I smelled smoke up here, not realizing it was a fire, at around 1 o’clock,” said Wood. “I went downstairs, I had a long record on at the time. At that time there was very little smoke coming up.”
As the smoke wafted upward, Wood and fellow announcer Carlos Cruz had to open the doors to the radio station. They were eventually forced to evacuate and WSSJ was off the air from 2:15 a.m. to 3:15 a.m., said Wood.
Almost all city fire equipment was committed. Firefighters from Gloucester City, Westmont and Oaklyn responded to fill in at city fire stations, and Cherry Hill sent an air compressor unit to refill firefighters’ air packs.
Firefighters were briefly delayed in reaching the heart of the fire, said Capt. John DiMaggio, because the water standpipe to which hoses were to be connected was located inside the burning office.
Firefighters had to go to a standpipe on the 13th floor and carry their hoses back up to the 14th only to be stymied by a locked fire door. They had to knock the steel door off its hinges and then batter it out of the doorway to enter the 14th floor.
The door can only be opened from the inside, county officials explained. It is designed to block entrance from the fire escape stairway to help provide security for the records stored in Kennedy’s office.
That the fire did not spread was credited to the stout firewalls built into the 50-year-old structure. This morning’s blaze was the first major fire in the building since Feb. 2, 1973, said Simon.
City honors firefighters retiring after 38 years
Camden Courier-Post —
By SEAN McKINNEY
CAMDEN — It was the end of an era.
The city council said farewell to six of its oldest firefighters yesterday, three days before they were set to retire. Each has worked for the city fire department for 38 years.
Also honored was Deputy Chief James McMaster, who is retiring after 36 years of service.
“If I’m not mistaken, we have just witnessed 254 years of combined service,” said Council President Gwendolyn Faison after proclamations were read honoring the men who have dedicated over three decades to the city. Deputy Fire Chief John Mogck, who is leaving as chief, started a standing ovation from the audience at the regular council session.
Kenneth Penn, 44, is to be sworn in on Monday by Mayor Randy Primas as the new fire chief.
Frank McGuckin, president of Local 788 of the International Association of Firefighters, criticized City Attorney Patricia Darden of trying to force firefighters Charles Arline, 44, and John DiMaggio, 44, to work a week 41 hours.
McGuckin said after the meeting that Darden was trying to use an old provision to increase working hours, and that the department constitution would have to be changed.
Mogck’s successor, Chief Kenneth Penn, 44, is to be sworn in on Monday. Mogck, in an interview, said he couldn’t be more proud of the city department. Penn will take over as chief effective Oct. 1.
Retirement letter from Chief John J. Mogck Jr.
City of Camden Fire Department —
CITY OF CAMDEN FIRE DEPARTMENT 3rd & Federal Sts. Camden, N. J. 08102
28 February, 1990
On this date, Captain John DiMaggio, Captain Robert Olesiewicz, Captain Anthony Orme, Fire Fighter Philip MacDonald, Fire Fighter William Stone and myself, will be retiring from the Department. Thirty-nine years ago, each of us were appointed and assigned to units in the 1st Battalion. During these many years and with few exceptions, we have remained in the 1st Battalion.
I am leaving the job with fond memories of the men I have had the distinct pleasure of serving with, and a treasure of great experiences. As Chief I have strived to the best of my ability, to better the Department; with some success.
The Camden Fire Department is 121 years old this year. It is a great organization with a very proud history. It however, has always been important to understand that the Department does not belong to any of us who currently serve. It instead belongs to all the men who came before us; and all of those who will come after us. It is to them that we owe our efforts. We that currently serve are only interim caretakers of a living tradition; each of us having been given the privilege to earn a living while contributing to this institution we call Fire Department. In this spirit; and for this opportunity, I am both honored and grateful.
I wish to leave each of you a few words of advice. Beware of the slimeball tactics of individuals who choose to use the Department to improve their personal ambitions. They will not hesitate to jeopardize any of you; your reputation or your job security to achieve their selfish goals. Beware!
I wish everyone good health; happiness and the very best of everything. Most of all — Be Careful.
Sincerely, John J. Mogck Jr. Chief of Department–CFD
CITY OF CAMDEN FIRE DEPARTMENT
3rd & Federal Sts. Camden, N. J. 0810228 February, 1990
On this date, Captain John DiMaggio, Captain Robert Olesiewicz, Captain Anthony Orme, Fire Fighter Philip MacDonald, Fire Fighter William Stone and myself, will be retiring from the Department. Thirty-nine years ago, each of us were appointed and assigned to units in the 1st Battalion. During these many years and with few exceptions, we have remained in the 1st Battalion.
I am leaving the job with fond memories of the men I have had the distinct pleasure of serving with, and a treasure of great experiences. As Chief I have strived to the best of my ability, to better the Department; with some success.
The Camden Fire Department is 121 years old this year. It is a great organization with a very proud history. It however, has always been important to understand that the Department does not belong to any of us who currently serve. It instead belongs to all the men who came before us; and all of those who will come after us. It is to them that we owe our efforts. We that currently serve are only interim caretakers of a living tradition; each of us having been given the privilege to earn a living while contributing to this institution we call Fire Department. In this spirit; and for this opportunity, I am both honored and grateful.
I wish to leave each of you a few words of advice. Beware of the slimeball tactics of individuals who choose to use the Department to improve their personal ambitions. They will not hesitate to jeopardize any of you; your reputation or your job security to achieve their selfish goals. Beware!
I wish everyone good health; happiness and the very best of everything. Most of all — Be Careful.
Sincerely,
John J. Mogck Jr.
Chief of Department–CFD
Retirement Dinner for Paul Matyjasik & James Johnston
November 13, 2009 — Retirement Dinner for Paul Matyjasik & James Johnston
Retirement dinner, November 13, 2009
Retirement dinner, November 13, 2009
Camden Firefighters Reunion — August 26, 2010
Camden Firefighters Reunion — August 26, 2010
John DiMaggio shaking hands with William Wilkie, with Richard Brooks standing behind them.
Unknown Camden Fire Department retiree and John DiMaggio.
Camden Firefighters Reunion — September 15, 2011
Camden Firefighters Reunion — September 15, 2011
John DiMaggio and Rich Carver.
Tom Pavlow, Rich Marter, John DiMaggio & Vince Ardire. Photo by Dave Hernandez.
Camden Firefighters Reunion — September 19, 2012
Camden Firefighters Reunion — September 19, 2012
Vince Ardire & John DiMaggio.
Camden Firefighters Reunion, September 19, 2012.
Camden Firefighters Reunion, September 19, 2012.
Camden Firefighters Reunion, September 19, 2012.
Camden Firefighters Reunion, September 19, 2012.
Camden Firefighters Reunion, September 19, 2012.
Photos
John DiMaggio.
John DiMaggio
Camden Courier-Post —
AGE: 93 • Audubon
On May 21, 2013, husband of the late Helen (Mulkiewicz) and the late Bruna (Scala) of Audubon, NJ. Dear father of John A DiMaggio (Phyllis), Mary Manera and Dolores Docimo (Alfonso) and the late Michael. He is also survived by 9 Grandchildren and 17 Great Grandchildren and sister Doris Gallo. John was a retired Captain of the Camden City Fire Dept. Relatives and friends are invited to attend His Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday at 10AM at St. Rose of Lima Church, 4th Ave. & Kings Highway, Haddon Hts., NJ Interment Calvary Cemetery, viewing Tuesday evening from 7–9 PM and Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 AM at PREDPELSKI FUNERAL HOME, 983 HADDON AVE., COLLINGSWOOD, NJ 08108.