Introduction
Stephen P. Szwak was born on May 22, 1904. He was appointed to the Camden Fire Department in the late 1920s, appearing in the 1929 Camden City Directory at 1037 Louis Street. The 1940 City Directory shows him residing at 1238 Dayton Street. He served with Engine Company 8 in 1942, at that time living at 1234 Dayton Street. By 1947 he and wife Edith had moved to 1953 Diamond Street. The 1956 and 1959 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directories show Stephen P. Szwak at 919 Florence Street. By the fall of 1970 Stephen Szwak had moved to 936 Bulson Street. He and his wife Edith Szwak lived out their days at 936 Bulson Street. Edith M. Szwak passed away on December 18, 1993. Stephen Szwak joined her March 25, 1996.
Lester Store Razed By $100,000 Fire
Camden Courier-Post —
The clothing and jewelry store of S. Lester, at 713 Broadway, was destroyed by fire of undetermined origin following an explosion late Saturday night.
Eight companies fought the two-alarm fire for seven hours and succeeded in saving adjoining buildings in the block which were threatened by the roaring flames. An invalid woman was carried to safety. Two other persons fled to the street. One fireman was injured.
Damage was estimated at $100,000 by A. Lee Newman, manager. S. Lester, proprietor, returned from Florida yesterday to learn of the misfortune.
Fire Chief John H. Lennox today said the cause of the fire probably never will be known.
“All we know is that it started on the first floor,” Chief Lennox said. “The basement was all right so it was not the heating system that caused it.
“The store was closed at 10.25 p. m. What happened between then and 11.24, when the first alarm came in, we’ll probably never know, except that there was an explosion. So aflame was the building when firemen arrived that it was impossible to trace the fire’s origin.”
Three Explosions
The fire started in the building at 11.18 p.m., the time being fixed by an automatic alarm system. Sheets of flame shot through the first and second floor windows just as the audience was leaving the last show of the Towers Theatre across the street.
Alarms were turned in by three persons. A boy ran into the drug store of Theodore Ellis, at Broadway and Pine street; a pedestrian ran to the firehouse of Engine Company No. 1, at Fourth and Pine streets, and an alarm was sounded by an employee of a private watchman service summoned by breaking of an electric circuit by the explosion.
Engine Co. 1, 2 and 8 and Truck Co. No. 1 answered the first alarm under Acting Deputy Fire Chief William Van Pfefferle, who turned in the second alarm, bringing Engine Co. 3, 6 and 7 and Truck Co. No. 2, together with Fire Chief Lennox and Police Chief George Frost.
Part of the roof fell in shortly after 2 a.m., according to the report of Acting Battalion Chief Laurence Newton.
It was 6.30 a.m. yesterday before the last of the firemen pulled away. During the seven hours traffic was routed off Broadway. Southbound traffic was sent down Fifth street, northbound traffic up Sixth street, diversion points being Royden and Spruce streets.
Some damage was done to the roof and smoke and water did other damage to the Gray Hat Shop at 717 Broadway. Carl Schwartz and his wife, Fay, proprietor of the hat shop, were forced to flee from their apartment above their store.
Mrs. Catherine Burrichter, an invalid living in a two-story house at 711 Broadway, was carried out by firemen. The roof of the Burrichter home was slightly damaged by fire, while smoke and water poured through the house.
Hoseman Stephan Szwack, 37, of 1234 Dayton street, attached to Engine Co. No. 8, suffered a cut on the left hand while fighting the fire. He was treated at West Jersey Hospital.
Crowds were attracted to the scene by the explosions and the flames.
Lester was met in Philadelphia by Newman as he returned from Florida yesterday, and told what had happened.
To Open Temporary Store
Lester said a temporary store will be opened within a few days while a new store is being built. Collection records and account books were saved by their steel containers, Lester explained, and were moved to the office of Dr. Benjamin W. Kauffman at 706 Broadway.
“I am glad the explosions and fire did not occur until after 11 o’clock,” Lester said. “At that time the store was closed, so no customers or employees could be injured.”
Lester had been in business at 713 Broadway since 1935. His first Broadway store was opened at 936 Broadway in 1928.
The proprietor immediately took charge of salvaging unharmed merchandise, moving of records, search for a temporary store location and outlining plans for a new building with an architect.
“We shall start at once to construct the finest store in South Jersey,” Lester said. “Our temporary store will be open with new merchandise for the Easter season.”