Elm Street Fire Ruled Arson
Camden Courier-Post —
By Lee Moore / Courier-Post Staff
CAMDEN — A two-alarm fire destroyed a vacant row house and a church in North Camden yesterday, marking the second time this week city firefighters had to battle a stubborn blaze in the face of bitterly cold temperatures.
According to Chief Fire Marshal James Hillman, fire broke out in a vacant, two-story row house at 827 Elm St. late Tuesday night and burned throughout the early morning hours yesterday.
The fire, which has been ruled arson, then spread, destroying the Bible Tabernacle Church at 823–825 Elm St. and damaging an occupied house at 821 Elm.
Hillman said that house, registered to a Daisey Donchez, was damaged but not destroyed.
No one from the church could be reached for comment yesterday.
According to Hillman, the fire started in the rear, first-floor area of 827 Elm St., a house that had been vacant for three months.
Noting that officials are still investigating the arson, Hillman said he couldn’t be certain what type of accelerant was used to start it.
Hillman said that firefighters were hindered by biting winds and temperatures in the teens, as they had been on Sunday night in East Camden.
“It was 18 degrees, but that’s normal for this time of year,” he said.
One firefighter suffered minor burns while battling the flames, but did not require hospital treatment, he said.
Meanwhile yesterday, Hillman said authorities still don’t know what caused a seven-alarm fire that ravaged four businesses on Westfield Avenue in East Camden earlier this week.
“It’s still under investigation. There are a lot of different factors involved,” he said, noting that it could take days, weeks or months to establish the cause.
City fire officials initially overestimated the extent of the blaze, saying Sunday night that nine businesses had been destroyed.
In fact, only four businesses — Choe’s Discount Store, the New Country Club Restaurant and the Quality Drug Stores, which is actually two separate shops — were destroyed.
Businesses initially reported to have been destroyed — but in fact spared — included M&N’s Men’s Wear at 2623 Westfield Ave., the Golden Seafood Store at 2619 Westfield Ave. and Nardello’s Radio Store at 14 N. 26th St.
Smoke Billows From Vacant Elm Street Row Home
Camden Courier-Post —
Courier-Post photo by Richard Borys
Camden arson: Smoke billows from the windows of a vacant row home on Elm Street yesterday as firefighters move hoses into place to battle the blaze. The fire, ruled arson by officials, destroyed the row home and a church in North Camden.