Fire Rips E. Camden Home, Leaving 4 Youngsters Dead
Camden Courier-Post —
By CHARLES JOHNS and JOSEPH R. McCARTHY Courier-Post Staff
Four East Camden children were killed this morning in a 20-minute house fire that broke out after their mother went next door to make a quick phone call.
A fifth child, the oldest in the family, was not involved because he lives with his grandparents only a few blocks away in Pennsauken. Today is his 12th birthday.
Two of the victims were taken to West Jersey Hospital, Northern Division, Camden. They were identified as Anthony DePasquale, 8, and Jackie Binder, 3. Both were dead on arrival at 2:55 a.m.
The other two children were identified as John Spataro, 10, and Marlene Spataro, 9, by a spokesman at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Camden. John was dead on arrival at 3:04 a.m.; Marlene died in the hospital at 3:40 a.m.
All the victims were the children of Mrs. Geraldine Binder of 433 Garden Ave., according to Thomas R. Daley, investigator for the Camden County Medical Examiner’s Office. Mrs. Binder, who worked as a waitress, had lived at the address with her children for the past five years.
“She (Mrs. Binder) was here 10 minutes,” said Gary Mason, who was visiting the other half of the Binder family’s duplex house, the home of Mrs. Anna Bier.
Mason said Mrs. Binder went to Mrs. Bier’s side of the house to call her mother, and that he was the first to smell smoke.
“Mrs. Binder went to the rear of the house, opened her door,” Mason said, “and the smoke just poured out.”
Mason, of 14 Stewart Ave., Camden, said he and another man at the Bier house, Paul Marioni, of Pennsauken, tried to enter Mrs. Binder’s house through the front and rear doors and also a bedroom window but were unsuccessful.
“We had one foot in the front room, but the smoke was too thick,” Mason said. The smoke forced Mrs. Bier and her three children to flee from their house.
Firemen found one of Mrs. Binder’s children on the floor of the front bedroom, near the door to the hall, Battalion Chief Thomas Blair said.
Smoke and flames were pouring out of the house when firemen arrived after the alarm was sounded at 2:30 a.m., Blair said, and the first floor living room was “totally involved.”
The other three children were found in two rear bedrooms, Blair said, each of which contained a double bunk bed. Blair said it appeared all four children died from smoke inhalation since they were found on the floor.
“One kid — Marlene — they got her breathing,” the chief said, “but eventually she died.”
Blair said the asbestos-sided house was extensively damaged and its furnishings destroyed. A firewall prevented anything more than smoke damage to Mrs. Bier’s side of the house.
Firemen extinguished the blaze in 20 minutes, Blair said.
The chief said the fire appeared to have started near the living room couch, and he speculated that the cause was either a defective lamp cord or extension cord.
Mrs. Binder’s surviving child, Danny Spataro, is a student at the Burling School in Pennsauken, and lives with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wolfson, on Harris Avenue, where Mrs. Binder was reported to be staying today. The other children, with the exception of 3-year-old Jackie, were students at the McGraw School in Camden.
Autopsies were scheduled to be performed today by Camden County Medical Examiner Louis C. Riegert.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete but are being handled by Edward P. Leonard Jr., 35th Street and River Avenue.
The Four Children Who Died in the Garden Avenue Fire
1975
JOHN
MARLENE
ANTHONY
JACKIE
Scene at 433 Garden Avenue
Left: Lone fireman stands on porch of East Camden house in which four children died early . House is at 433 Garden Avenue. Right: Mrs. Gary Miller, a neighbor and relative, comforts 12-year-old Danny Spataro after he learns his three brothers and sister were killed in the fire.
‘Too Busy Crying’ — Friends React To the Tragedy
Camden Courier-Post —
By BOB REICHENBACH, Courier-Post Staff
Four young friends of John, Marlene, Anthony—even the baby Jackie—shared the burned-out shell where playmates had played only yesterday morning.
Danny, 12, who lives with his grandparents in Pennsauken, was a frequent sight on the two blocks of Garden Ave.
Ten-year-old Johnny was remembered fondly by neighbor Barbara Rabena, 13. “He was always looking for mischief,” she said. Jim Harrison, 10, a close friend, agreed that Johnny was fun-loving and quick to help others.
Anthony was the youngest of the neighborhood classmates and was remembered as liking to play football. Little Jackie, the baby, was loved by all. Johnny “was spoiled but smart, real smart,” according to friends.
The tragedy jarred teachers and pupils at McGraw School, where the three older children attended. Teachers described Marlene as “a wonderful child, an active member of the Pioneers and Girl Scouts and a cheerleader.” She was to receive a student of the year award that month.
“All they did was be fun loving,” one neighbor said. “And Marlene was always the first to try to help.”
Neighbors Rally To Aid Family Struck by Tragedy
Camden Courier-Post —
By ANNE RUBINSTEIN, Courier-Post Staff
The fire that swept through the house at 433 Garden Ave. on Thursday took the lives of four East Camden children, but it brought the close-knit community of East Camden together to support the surviving family.
Jim White, East Camden City Councilman, said the community was organizing help for Mrs. Geraldine Binder and her surviving son, Danny Spataro, 12. George Powell and William Camp were among those coordinating the relief effort.
Camden Marine Salvage, Anthony G. DePasquale Sr., William Binder, and Dante C.V. Spataro were among those named as helping the family in the days following the fire.
John Spataro, Remembered
For over 42 years, I have searched in vain to find any information on one of my dearest friends in my 5th grade class: John Spataro.
In January 1975, I was on my way to school as I usually was, but there was nothing ordinary about this day. Several of my classmates intercepted me before I arrived at McGraw Elementary School to let me know “he is not dead yet!” I wasn’t sure what they were alluding to, until, of course, I arrived at school. There, I realized my life would change forever. As I saw my teacher, Mrs. Salzman and my fellow classmates huddled together in the courtyard crying uncontrollably, I now knew what the students were trying to tell me. But who?
I was devastated to find out that my dearest friend, John Spataro and several of his siblings had perished in a house fire the night before. I was in complete and utter shock.
Fast forward to today. I have been searching for any news about this very tragic event in my life for many years now; forty-two years to be exact. Let me tell you the type of friend John was. On one occasion, our 5th grade class was working on our science projects (a diorama, to be precise), and it had been due, much to my surprise. As I walked to the courtyard to line up, I, to my concern, was the only one in the class who did not have the diorama. I was so nervous, as I was a top student. This would surely devastate my very good science grade. John, as he usually did, came to the rescue. He took his diorama (he had the largest box out of all the other students) and proceeded to cut it in half. He had scissors, glue and extra little plastic animals in his book bag. He instructed me to cut some grass and pick a few twigs and place them strategically in the new half a box that I now have. I completed the assignment and submitted it to the teacher. We both received A’s on the assignment.
I loved John for that spirit. He was one of the best friends I ever had at school. This is why I have never forgotten him.
John made such an impression on me that I literally never forgot what he looked like. Sure enough, when I saw his picture in the news article, it all came back to me. He looked exactly as I remembered. I prefer to keep that image of him in my mind forever; that super happy kid with the dimpled cheeks. May you Rest In Peace my dear friend John… You are truly missed!!
Sergio Parsi, Jr., December 16, 2017