Thomas McParland
Thomas McParland, Camden Fire Department
THOMAS McPARLAND born in Camden on September 2, 1911. He was appointed to the Camden Fire Department in the early 1940s. By 1946 he had been assigned to Engine Company 6 at Front and Linden Streets in the late 1940s. In December of 1953 he was promoted to Captain and assigned to Engine Company 9 in East Camden.
Just after 10 P.M. on February 20, 1946, a major fire occurred in the S.S. Kresge Department Store at 29–33 Broadway near Federal Street. First arriving units found heavy smoke billowing from the building as second and third alarms were transmitted in quick succession.
Shortly after midnight, a backdraft injured five members as flames raced through the building. Firemen William Reed, Thomas Winstanley, Theodore Guthrie, Thomas McParland and Captain Howell Needham were removed to Cooper Hospital for facial burns; whereupon each member insisted on returning to the fire following treatment. At 12:30 A.M. Deputy Chief Charles Erickson directed the Fire Dispatcher to recall a platoon of off duty members and summon them to the fire. By 2 A.M. the flames had broken through the roof and were visible ten blocks away. As the first floor began to collapse Engine Company 8 was forced into the street as a roaring column of tin vented outward some thirty-five feet over Hudson Street. While the Department was making a major effort on Broadway, another fire broke out at the Camden Foundry Company, Front and Elm Streets, North Camden. Engine Company 11 assisted by off duty members staffing reserve apparatus confined this fire to a section of the building.
Captain McParland retired on pension in September of 1976, having reached the age for mandatory retirement. He passed away at home in Gloucester City, New Jersey on September 13, 1997.
2nd Blaze Calls Out All Men
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden's entire fire-fighting facilities were called on during the night to battle two blazes, one a three-alarm in which five firemen were injured.
The three-alarm fire swept the S. S. Kresge building at 29–33 Broadway, threatening the central business district until brought under control.
Discovered at 10.17 p.m., the Kresge fire brought all except three of the city's 12 companies to the scene. At 1.52 a.m. fire broke out at the Camden Foundry Co., Front and Elm streets, requiring the three remaining companies.
The North Camden blaze was confined to a small section of the building. Firemen said it was caused by an overheated stove which set moulding afire. Firemen returned from this blaze at 2.15 a.m.
With five firemen temporarily unavailable for service because of face and hand burns, Deputy Chief Erickson appealed to the city electrical bureau at 12.30 to summon all available off-duty firemen.
Firemen were forced to lay flat on the slush-covered pavements to play hoses into the Kresge building because of the dense smoke billowing from doorways and windows. After two hours, many were at the point of exhaustion.
Smoke Fills Building
The fire was believed to have started in the basement and the building was filled with smoke when firemen arrived. They were unable to enter the building.
At 2 a.m. the flames broke through the roof and were visible for 10 blocks. The first floor was sagging at the ends of the building after the fire broke through the center.
Forcing a corrugated iron receiving door in the rear, firemen of Engine Company No. 8 were forced to drop to the street as flames shot 35 feet into Hudson street.
Lines Through Terminal
Hose lines were run through the highspeed line terminal, which adjoins the fired building. A line was played into the building from the roof of the terminal.
Several times firemen were forced to crawl backward from the building as back-lashes of flames roared from the interior.
Taken to Cooper hospital with burns of the face were Firemen William Reed, Thomas Winstanley and Thomas McParland. All returned to the fire for duty.
Treated at the scene were Acting Captain Howell Needham and Fireman Theodore Guthrie. They were burned about the hands and face.
Water Bureau Helps
Shortly after arrival Acting Chief Walter Mertz announced the city water pressure was low and water barely trickled from a plug on Hudson street near the rear of the building.
Water Superintendent Edward Sheehan was notified and upon an inspection of the plug, found the control system had been broken as firemen attempted to open it. This reduced the ordinary flow by about two-thirds, Sheehan said.
Before he arrived at the fire, Sheehan ordered five extra pumps put into operation at various city pumping stations to increase pressure. When the fire broke out, the city pumps (Continued on Page 2—Column B)
BROADWAY STORE BUILDING WRECKED BY THREE-ALARM FIRE — Shown is the interior of the S. S. Kresge building, at 29–33 Broadway, which was destroyed by fire last night and early today. Five firemen were burned in the blaze, which threatened the central business district.
Engine Company 6 — circa 1948
Engine 6 Wagon and Pumper at Front & Linden Streets, circa 1948. Left column, from left: Captain William Deitz, Firemen Robert Dukes, Harrison Pike, Mario Fattore, Edwin Callahan. Right column, from left: Firemen Thomas McParland, Philip Farrow, Thomas Winstanley, James Stewart, Ernest Tartaglia, John “Shorty” Prucella
Engine Company 6 — circa 1949
Engine 6 Wagon and Pumper at Front & Linden Streets, circa 1949. On apparatus John Prucella and Harrison Pike — Motor Pump Operators. L to r: Philip Farrow, Edwin Callahan, Thomas McParland, Robert Dukes, Captain William Deitz, Captain Thomas Winstanley, James Stewart, Mario Fattore, and Ernest Tartaglia
Firefighters Fete 'Shorty' Prucella After 39 Years in Service of City
Camden Courier-Post —
A GOLD WATCH in recognition of his many years of service with the Camden fire department was presented Tuesday to John B. “Shorty” Prucella, 75, retiring member of Engine Co. 6, by his “buddies” of the station. Prucella, who will retire July 15 after 39 years, is given the watch by Hoseman Ernest Tartaglia. Standing, left to right, second row, are Capt. William H. Deitz, P. Farrow, E. Callahan, H. Pike, H. Needham and Capt. Harold Megee; back row, Capt. Thomas Winstanley, of No. 2 Engine Co.; M. Fattore, T. McParland and William Reed.
John B. “Shorty” Prucella on July 15 is going to stop fighting fires, rescuing cats up poles and trees, returning lost children to anxious parents and marching in parades.
On that date Prucella, oldest member of No. 6 Engine Co., will go on pension after 39 years service.
Shorty, as the other eight members and two captains of his company call him, is 75. He is one of the two remaining veteran fire fighters in the city who formerly drove horse-drawn apparatus.
The other horse driver is Battalion Chief Clarence Madden.
Prucella joined the city electrical bureau in April, 1910, and after 19 months service, transferred in November 1911 to the fire department. It was at Engine Co. No. 5, formerly at Twelfth and Federal streets, where he drove a horse-drawn fire truck.
Later, Prucella served at No. 4 Engine Co., formerly at Fourth and Vine streets. He has been stationed at No. 6 company, Front and Linden streets, for the last 17 years.
Shorty's comrades, in a surprise ceremony Tuesday, presented him with a gold watch. Attending the affair were Captains William H. Deitz and Harold Megee, of the same company; Firemen P. Farrow, E. Callahan, H. Pike, H. Needham, M. Fattore, T. McFarland, William Reed and Ernest Tartaglia, and Battalion Chiefs Edgar Ellender and Howard Gick.
Prucella lives at 919 Penn street with his wife, Hattie; a daughter, Elizabeth, and a son, Raymond. He has two grandchildren.
Will Take It Easy
The veteran smoke-eater announced his future plans call for “taking it easy” and reminiscing about old times.
“The ‘fire department’ is gone now,” Prucella commented. “What people called the fire department went out with the horses. Horses gave something to fire fighting, and when they left there just wasn’t any ‘fire department.’
“Of course, considering that out engines get out of the fire house in 20 seconds today, is enough to show that horses could never compare with anything we have today. But the horse drawn wagons got out of the firehouse in two minutes, and Heaven help the man who got in their way.
“It hurt when the old plugs were taken away. The keenest horse we owned was turned over to the street cleaning department.”
Biggest fire in Prucella’s experience was the Hollingshed fire in 1940, but he doesn’t like to think about it because 14 persons lost their lives.
Prucella is a member of the International Firefighters Association, Police and Fire Club, Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association and the Camden Lodge of Moose.
3 Hosemen Made Fire Captains
Camden Courier-Post —
Three hosemen were promoted to the rank of fire department captain today by Public Safety Commissioner E. George Aaron.
Aaron also announced the appointment of six new firemen and two new policemen.
Thomas E. McParland, 1617 Euclid Avenue, of No. 6 Engine Co.; Leonard F. Garbrecht, 5 Court G, Canterbury Apartments, of No. 10 Engine Co.; and Louis J. Martelli, 569 Line Street, of No. 8 Engine Co., were promoted to captaincies in the Fire Department.
The new firemen are Henry J. Keating, 3316 Lemuel Avenue, transferred from the Police Department; Thomas J. McCabe, 385 Garden Avenue; Orville Goldsboro, 293 Liberty Street; Carmen Ianelli, 310 Berkley Street; Michael Panelli, 802 South 6th Street, and Harrison W. MacNeir, 29 South 35th Street.
The new policemen are Michael A. R. Gimino, 925 North 22nd Street, and Vincent J. Wall, 12 Court H, Canterbury Apartments.
Engine Company 9 — October 6, 1954
Engine Company 9, October 6, 1954 — After the fire that destroyed the Market Street Ferry Terminal. Standing: Howard Harrington, Captain Thomas McParland, Harry Mailahn, Clarence McMullen. Seated: Daniel F. Jiannetto. Photo by Bob Bartosz
Fire Department Service Card
Thomas McParland — Camden Fire Department service card
Engine Company 9 — October 6, 1954
Engine Company 9, October 6, 1954 — Standing: Howard Harrington, Captain Thomas McParland, Harry Mailahn, Clarence McMullen. Seated: Daniel F. Jiannetto. Photo by Bob Bartosz