Camden Fire Department - Fire, Rescue & Safety Operations - Mt. Phraim Avenue & Route 130

This page and the other pages in this series are the successors to the series of web-page about the Camden Fire Department called Camden Fire Department: The Fires of the Summer of 2011. On this and other pages in the series you will find pictures and information regarding different events and aspects of the fire service in Camden, New Jersey.

During the afternoon of Tuesday, September 27, 2011 Camden Fire Department units responded to calls fires on Baird Avenue in Parkside and at the Kennedy Tower high-rise apartment building in East Camden.

Fire Dispatcher Matt DeGailler, who was on duty, provided the following accounts of the incidents.

On Monday, September 26 in response to several calls for report of a dwelling fire in the 1500 block of Baird Avenue with possible people trapped, the following companies were dispatched at 1203 hours: Squad 7, Engine 9, Engine 1 (Second source engine), Ladder 3, Ladder 1 (Fast Truck), Rescue 1 and Battalion 1. Ladder 3 arrived and reported a two-story twin, with smoke showing. At the 10 minute mark Battalion 1 reported that Squad 7 was stretching a line for a kitchen fire first floor, that there was possibly an occupant trapped on the second floor, and struck the all hands. Car 2 (Deputy Chief Dan Rossi), and Engine 11 were dispatched, Engine 11 to serve as the Resource Engine. At 20 minutes Car 2 reported the bulk of the fire knocked down, primary search negative, fire probable will hold. At 40 minutes, 1242 hours, Car 2 reported the secondary search was negative, and that the fire was under control.

At 1444 hours a call came to the Camden Police concerning smoke coming from Apartment 511 at Kennedy Towers, 2021 Watson Street. Engine 9, Engine 11, Squad 7, Engine 1, Ladder 3, Ladder 1 (Fast Truck), Rescue 1, and Battalion 1 were dispatched, the extra companies being sent on initial dispatch for a high hazard building response. Engine 9 arrived on location with nothing showing. The building was evacuated. At 1454 hours Battalion 1 reported a pot of meat in apartment 511, holding with Engine 9 and Ladder 3, recalling the balance of companies.

Many thanks to Gabe Angemi for pictures taekn in the aftermath of the Baird Avenue job, and to Fire Dispatcher Matt DeGailler for his reporting of the evenst of the day.

As with the web page covering other Camden Fire Department events, if you can identify anyone that I've missed, please e-mail me. (I'm terrible at at names and faces).

Phil Cohen
September 27 2011