Camden Fire Department - Engine Company 6

Camden Fire Department
Engine Company
6

Engine Company 6 was organized on January 16, 1909 and entered service on the same date at 337 North Front Street in North Camden, where the company remained until November 2, 1978 when relocated to its present location at Fire Headquarters, 2 North 3rd Street, at North 3rd and Federal Streets, in the center of Camden's downtown district. The former firehouse at Front and Linden Streets was sold by the city and remains in private use. The exterior of the building including the hose tower, facade, and all bearing walls were been restored by the new owner to their original appearance by 1994.

Click on Images to Enlarge

Engine Company 6 - 1909

Daniel Leach

Engine Company 6

1920 - July 1922
Standing: Unknown, Unknown, Thomas "Tim" Shanahan, Unknown, Unknown,
Seated: Unknown, James McDade, Thomas Nicholas, John H. Lutts, Unknown

Engine Company 6 - 1920s
Photos Courtesy of Thomas J. Shanahan


Captain John H. Lutts, unknown


Thomas "Tim" Shanahan	Unknown	Unknown, Unknown
Second-class Amoskeag steam fire engine, rebuilt by the Commercial Truck Co., with electric tractor. Seagrave combination hose and chemical; capacity, 1,000 feet of hose, with 250 feet of 3/4-inch chemical hose. Rebuilt by the Commercial Truck Co., with electric chassis.		The electric tractor engines were replaced beginning in the mid- 1920s. It appears that these three photos were taken on delivery day.


Thomas "Tim" Shanahan

Standing: Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown
Kneeling: Unknown, Thomas "Tim" Shanahan

Standing: Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Thomas "Tim" Shanahan, Unknown, Unknown

No one has been identified
in this photo

Engine Company 6 Click on Images to Enlarge
	1934 1934 American LaFrance 1000 GPM Pumper

1930s-1940s 1934 American LaFrance 1000 GPM Pumper
	1948 Click Here to Supersize
	1959- Receiving new apparatus From Left: Acting Chief Engineer Edward MacDowell, Mayor Alfred Pierce, District Chief Harry J. Wagner
	July 1960 1934 American LaFrance 1000 GPM Pumper This apparatus was kept and designated Reserve Apparatus 1 after being replaced by newer equipment
	July 1960 1934 American LaFrance 1000 GPM Pumper
	July 1960 Looking Northeast towards Linden Street 1934 American LaFrance 1000 GPM Pumper
	June 14, 1952 An alarm was sounded at 2:29 PM from Box 15 at Delaware Avenue and Pearl Street, the site of the David Baird Company lumber and spar yard, now the site of Campbell Field. The fire spread to 3 alarms, involving Engine 6, Engine 2, and Engine 1. The fire lasted two hours, during which time five 2-1/2 water lines were utilized. A frame building, 2-1/2 stories tall, was destroyed.
	June 14, 1952 An alarm was sounded at 2:29 PM from Box 15 at Delaware Avenue and Pearl Street, the site of the David Baird Company lumber and spar yard, now the site of Campbell Field. The fire spread to 3 alarms, involving Engine 6, Engine 2, and Engine 1. The fire lasted two hours, during which time five 2-1/2 water lines were utilized. A frame building, 2-1/2 stories tall, was destroyed.
	July 1960 Looking South on Front Street 1959 Dodge-American LaFrance Hose Wagon 200 GPM
	July 1960 Looking South on Front Street 1959 Dodge-American LaFrance Hose Wagon 200 GPM
	July 1960 Looking South on Front Street 1959 Dodge-American LaFrance Hose Wagon 200 GPM
	July 1960 1959 American LaFrance Pumper 1000 GPM
	July 1960 1959 American LaFrance Pumper 1000 GPM
	July 1960 1959 American LaFrance Pumper 1000 GPM
	July 1960 1959 American LaFrance Pumper 1000 GPM
	1970s 1959 American LaFrance Pumper 1000 GPM With modified cab
	1970s 1959 American LaFrance Pumper 1000 GPM With modified cab, at Engine Company 8 building 619 Kaighn Avenue Click Here for Supersized Image
	March 8, 1981 Engine 6 at Gauidio's Garden Center Mount Ephraim Avenue
	1992 1992 American LaFrance Pumper 1500 GPM
	1992 1992 American LaFrance Pumper 1500 GPM
	1992 1992 American LaFrance Pumper 1500 GPM
	1992 1992 American LaFrance Pumper 1500 GPM
	1992 1992 American LaFrance Pumper 1500 GPM
	1994 At 2 North 3rd Street From left: Captain Robert Scarduzio, Firefighter George Candia, Firefighter Michael McCarthy, Firefighter Julius Snyder.
	1992 1992 American LaFrance Pumper 1500 GPM

Philadelphia Inquirer
March 13, 1912

Front Street
York Street
Clinton Street
Daniel Leach
David Bakley
Charles Worthington
Charles Bowers
Engine Company 6
Cooper Hospital

Philadelphia Inquirer - May 16, 1915

Rollo Jones - David Bakley - Anna May Lander - Engine Company 6 Front Street - State Street - Linden Street - Roberts Street

Philadelphia Inquirer
July 11, 1922

James McDade
Clarence Madden
David Bakley
Abraham Kern
William Thompson
Elmer Burkett
Samuel Harring
Engine Company 4
Engine Company 6
Front Street
Linden Street
Tabernacle M.E. Church
Rev. James Lord

Camden Courier-Post - February 22, 1928
$225,000 FIRE RUINS 5 UPTOWN PLANTS HOW FLAMES GUTTED BIG INDUSTRIAL BUILDING
RESIDENTS FLEE AS FLAMES RAGE IN BIG BUILDING Factory of Evans Leather Co. Saved by Valiant Work of Firemen APPARATUS IS DISABLED; DEBRIS BURIED FIRE PLUG Metal Stamping Firm, Textile Concern Heavy Losers; Pattern Shop Saved

...continued...

...continued...

...continued...

...continued...
	Thomas Nicholas - James Tatem Manuel Kane Harry M. Leigh - David Ellis Engine Company 2 Engine Company 4 Engine Company 5 Engine Company 6 Segal Street
Click in Images to Enlarge

Camden Courier-Post - June 1, 1933

Rain Soaked Barefoot Children
And Parents Sheltered by Cops

Six barefoot children and their parents who reached Camden tired and hungry last night after 'two months' journey from California, were befriended city police and firemen after two welfare organizations refused to shelter them.

The children, four girls and two boys ranging in ages from 3 to 13 years, were found with their parents soaking wet in their truck which they had parked in a shanty at Delaware avenue and Pearl Street.

Motorcycle Policeman Raymond Carson, who made the discovery, took the bedraggled family to No.6 fire house at Second and Elm streets where Captain Saunders and other firemen cooked them a substantial meal, the first they had tasted since 8 o'clock yesterday morning when they were fed in Maryland.

According to Carson the Salvation Army reported it had no room to shelter them, while the Wiley Mission wouldn't take the children and told the father it was too late at night to admit him."

The family was then directed to police headquarters at the old city hall. There Lieutenant George Ward took up. a collection from the men sufficient to buy shoes for the children and arranged for the entire family to sleep overnight In the detention quarters on the third floor.

The family is en route to Paterson, home of' the children's grandfather. They left California March 28 in the hope the father .could obtain work in the east.

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

Click on Image to Enlarge - Click HERE to Supersize

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 Dietz, Thomas Winstanley, James Stewart, Mario Fattore, and Ernest Tartaglia

Click on Image to Enlarge - Click HERE to Supersize

Camden Courier-Post - June 1950

Camden Courier-Post - June 1950

Click on Images to Enlarge

		Camden Courier-Post May 11, 1962 Eugene Thornton Gary Auxer John Barry Kelley Nicholas Pavlak - Peter Yecco James Anderson - Albert Weller Winfield Myers - John Kolessar Rescue Company 1 - Engine Company 6 Dr. Gerald E. Vanston - WCAM William Passwater - Mt. Ephraim Avenue Albert Thornton - Emma Thrornton Sewell School - Cooper School Pyne Poynt Junior High Albert Thornton - Jacob Thornton Diane Thornton - Carl Thornton Geraldine Thornton - Cynthia Thornton North 9th Street - Birch Street - Erie Street
Click on Image to Enlarge

...continued...

...continued...

...continued...

1959 Dodge- American LaFrance Hose Wagon

March 8, 1981
Gaudio's Garden Center on Mt. Ephraim Avenue

*Camden Courier-Post April 4, 1970**

...continued...

Robert Troutman - Engine Company 6 - James McGrory - Engine Company 2 - Theodore Primas - Inez Brown - Stanley Brown Blair Murphy - Dorothy Lyles - James Lyles - John M. Lyles - Fern Street - North 9th Street

Engine Company 6
photo taken about 1982

Captain Stanley Wysocki - Robert Basile - Jerry Garten Jr. - Gus Barbetta

Engine Company 6
photo taken about 1984

Jerry Garten Jr. - Captain Stanley Wysocki - Robert Basile - Charles Panelli - Gus Barbetta

Engine Company 6
photo taken about 1985

Jerry Garten Jr. - Robert Basile - Captain Stanley Wysocki - Gus Barbetta

620 Sycamore Street - June 17, 2006 Story and Photo: Bob Bartosz
Busy 24 Hours in Camden NJ - 6 Working Fires along with a Rescue
	Camden Firefighters had a Busy 24 hour tour starting on June 16th and ending on June 17th with Four All Hands Fire and Two second alarms all in the South Camden section of the city. The first job was a working fire in a row of two story dwellings in the 1200 block Morton Street. Later that day they had a working fire in the middle of a row of two story dwellings in the 700 block of Spruce Street a few hours latter in the am hours they were call to the 700 block of Cherry Street. First in companies found heavy fire show in a large 3 story brick dwelling that put all companies to work with in minutes part of the structure collapsed Battalion 1 called for a second alarm. A few minutes latter while to fire was going another alarm came in for a working fire at 908 Haddon Avenue, about 6 blocks away. As the companies were coming in they found another blaze a block away from the first job, in a row of 2 story dwellings at 903 Haddon Avenue. Fire Radio put in a Special call to Camden County Fire Units to respond into the City, Fire Companies from Gloucester City, Oaklyn, Westmont, Collingswood, Pennsauken Township were put to work fight these blazes. By 4:30 AM all the fires were placed under control. A few hours later Firefighters were dispatched to 620 Sycamore Street for an Explosion and Fire with reports of people trapped. Engine 8 was first in with Captain Dan Baker. He reported he had the end of a row brick 2 story dwelling that had exploded and had numerous people injured and one victim still trapped on the collapsed second floor and he requested the Second Alarm to be transmitted. Rescue 1 was arriving with Captain Frank Sandrock and Battalion 1 Chief Daryl Lewison along with Squad 7 and Engine 1 and Ladder Companies 2 and 1 and Battalion Chief 2 Mike Dipascale on the second alarm with Engine Companies 6 and 9, Ladder 3 and Special Operations Rescue unit and Car 3 with Deputy Chief Mike Harper and Chief of Department Joseph Marini in Car 1. Firefighters could hear a female calling for help from the collapsed second floor. Firefighters went to work shoring up the collapsed building. Captain Sandrock of Rescue 1 was OPS Officer. About 30 minutes later firefighters were able to get to the badly injured woman. She had burns over 70 percent of her body. Rescue 1 firefighter Eli Hall was sent up the ladder to bring her down. Camden EMS removed her to Cooper Hospital Trauma. Two other males were blown out of the second floor of the building onto the street and were taken to the hospital by Camden EMS. Two of the victims were admitted in critical condition. Car 3 Harper place the assignment control. The explosion is under investigation by the Camden Fire Marshal Office and Camden Police Arson Unit along with the ATF. Cherry Hill Twp Canteen Unit RIT team and Rehab Unit, and County Fire Police and Camden County Field Com units were Special called. This was a Busy 24 hours with 4 All Hands and 2 second alarm fire and a life saving rescue.
Click on Images for Enlarged and High Resolution Views

617-619 Bailey Street - December 13, 2007
photographs by Bob Bartosz

Camden NJ Fire Fighter Battle Smokey 2 Alarm Blaze

Shortly after 1:00 PM on December 13, 2007 a police car on patrol spotted heavy smoke coming from a row of vacant dwellings in the 600 block of Bailey Street in the North Camden section of the city. At the same time Camden Country Fire Radio and Camden Police 911 Center were receiving calls for the same fire location. Companies were now dispatched along with Battalion 2 Chief Mike DiPascale. Fire Radio informed Battalion 2 that they were receiving numerous calls and were adding the extra Engine Company to the Box.

Engine Company 6, under the Command of Captain Sandrock was first on location and reported that he had a row of two story vacant dwellings with the first two dwellings heavily involved and that he was going in service. Battalion 2 was now on location and informed Fire Radio to strike an All Hands Box and requested an additional Engine and Ladder Company to be dispatched.

It was a rainy, misty day and the smoke was so heavy that fire fighters had a hard time trying to see up the street to where the fire was located. All of the dwellings were heavily boarded up, making it extremely hard for the fire fighters to make entry. Truck Companies went up to the roof to ventilate. Six 1-3/4" lines were now in service as fire fighters were making good progress attacking the fire. They were able to contain the blaze to two dwellings with some damage to the third dwelling. About 40 minutes into the fire Chief DiPascale placed the fire Under Control. The fire is being investigated by the Camden City Fire Marshal's Office and the Camden Police Department Arson Squad.

Members of Engine Company 6, commanded by Captain Sandrock, going into 617 Bailey Street

Members of Ladder Company 3
in the command of Captain Andy Magee heading to the roof to ventilate

Click on Image to Enlarge

617-619 Bailey Street - December 13, 2007

Smoke was so heavy that the fire fighters had a hard time seeing up the street.

Members of Ladder Company 1 led Captain Merklein and Rescue Company 1
under Captain Glassman making entry to the heavily boarded up dwellings.

Fire fighters force their way through heavy smoke to attack the blaze.

Fire fighter used a chainsaw to cut through the boarded-up door

Board of Education Building, Front & Federal Streets - July 6, 2010

Captain Ralph Schneeman, Firefighters Ed Cintron and Ralph Rivera

Captain Ralph Schneeman


Captain Ralph Schneeman

Firefighter
Darryl
Jackson

Be Sure to Click on Images for Enlarged Views

Many of the photographs on this website are from the limited edition book "Fire Department Camden NJ 125 Anniversary 1869-1994" and were taken by Department Photographer Bob Bartosz. Others are courtesy of Joel Bain of the Camden Fire Department.

RETURN TO DVRBS.COM HOME PAGE