Engine Company 8 was originally organized on March 1, 1900 as Chemical Engine Company 2 at 617 Kaighn Avenue in South Camden, sharing a building with Ladder Company 2. In 1914 the unit was reorganized as Hose and Chemical Company 3 at the same location. The unit was once again reorganized, this time as Engine Company 8, entering service at at 617 Kaighn Avenue, where it remained until May 27, 1993. On that date both Engine Company 8 and Ladder Company 2 relocated to the new "Liberty Station" firehouse at 1301 Broadway, at Liberty Street, in South Camden. On January 1, 1926 former AEF champion lightweight boxer Little Ray Smith was assigned to Engine Company 8. He remained with Engine 8 until July of 1939, when he was promoted to Captain and assigned to lead the city's Fire Training Academy. |
Engine Company 8 | |
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1912-1914 Chemical
Company 2 Two 65 gallon chemical tanks |
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1912-1914 Chemical
Company 2 Seated: Unknown, Unknown |
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1926 1926
American LaFrance Photograph
taken |
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1926 1926
American LaFrance Photograph
taken |
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June
15, 1952 1951
American LaFrance |
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1952 1951
American LaFrance |
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1952 1951
American LaFrance |
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1952 1951
American LaFrance |
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1952 1951
American LaFrance |
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1952 1951
American LaFrance If you click on this image to enlarge, check out the billboard advertising "Field Fresh Florida pineapples". |
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1952
1952 GMC
Hose Wagon |
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1952
1952 GMC
Hose Wagon |
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1952
1952 GMC
Hose Wagon |
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1960
1952 GMC
Hose Wagon |
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April
17, 1960 Camden Catholic High
School 1952 GMC
Hose Wagon Click on Image to Enlarge photo courtesy of Bob Bartosz |
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Mid-1970s
A Fire near Pine Street |
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October
9, 1973
740
Spruce Street
Click on Image to Enlarge Engine
Company 8 Fire Fighter William
Hopkins |
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September
9, 1977
Plexiglass mounted tpo protect firefighters and equipment from vandalism and attack. |
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Late 1970s |
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1990s
617-619 Kaighn Avenue |
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1990s
617-619 Kaighn Avenue The building at left, for many years the home of General Glass, is the same one that appears in the 1908 photo at the top of this table. At right, the former Talmud Torah building. |
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1992
1992 American LaFrance |
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1992
1992 American LaFrance |
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1992
1992 American LaFrance |
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1992
1992 American LaFrance |
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1992
1992 American LaFrance "Tower Ladder 8" in South Camden, 1992" |
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About
1993 South 7th Street The former J.D.
Johnson |
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1301 Broadway
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1994
1992 American LaFrance Ladder
Company 2 & Engine
Company 8 Left: William A. Barnhill of Ladder 2 |
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August
17, 1995
Engine Company 8 prepares to go into service with it's squirt at 719 Morgan Boulevard
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Be Sure to Click on Images for Enlarged Views |
Philadelphia Inquirer - April 10, 1909 |
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Camillus Appley |
Philadelphia Inquirer - April 28, 1922 | |
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Click on Images for PDF File of Entire Article | |
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Samuel
M.
Price - John
Hunt - Irwin
Bishop - Charles
Watkin - William
Merrigan William Reynolds - Broadway - Broadway Trust Company - Harry Armbruster Cooper Hospital - Lyric Theater - Ladder Company 2 - Engine Company 7 - Engine Company 8 |
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Click on Images for PDF File of Entire Article | |
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Click on Images for PDF File of Entire Article |
Camden Courier-Post - March 8, 1932 | |
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Charles Errickson
- Wallace
Phifer - Adam
Mead - Herbert
Baxter Sr. - Edward
Menzies - Engine
Co. 8 |
Camden Courier-Post * July 22, 1941 | |
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...continued... | |
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...continued... | |
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George
E. Brunner - William C. Schriver - Leo G. Stephans - Sgt.
Ray Smith Fred Vogel - Samuel Shapiro - James H. O'Brien - Albert C. Becker - Roy C. Adams Burnell S. Hartman - Michael Mungioli - Carrie R. Bean - Anne D. Spooner Engine Company 1 - Engine Company 3 - Engine Company 7 - Engine Company 8 Engine Company 9 - Engine Company 10 - Engine Company 11 Engine Company 2 (Fire Headquarters) |
Circa
1994 - A Meal at Liberty Station Ladder Company 2 - Engine Company 8 |
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HEAT WITHOUT SMOKE: Engine 8, Ladder 2, and Battalion 3 in the kitchen with fire extinguishers ready as Firefighter Denny Deal dishes out the noon meal of Four Alarm Chile to brother member William Bain Jr. at the Liberty Station firehouse at 1301 Broadway. From
Left: Kevin Haley - Charles
Gibson - unknown (behind Gibson) |
2419 Arnold Street - April 20, 2005 |
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A reported dwelling fire with a report on an infant trapped was dispatched in Camden City at 0042 hrs. Engine 10, Squad 7, Engine 8, Ladder 2, Rescue 1, and Battalion 1 responded to 2419 Arnold Street. Camden County Radio advised crews a neighbor reported that an infant was still inside on the 2nd floor. Engine 10 arrived on location with heavy fire showing from division 2 of a 2 story middle of the row occupied dwelling. Battalion 1 arrived and struck the all hands. Battalion 1 also requested another engine and ladder crew. Rescue 1 arrived and searched the dwelling with negative results. Secondary searches also were negative. Crews contained the fire to 1 unit with no exposure damage. The cause of the blaze is under investigation by the Camden Fire Marshals. Story and Photo: Ted Aurig |
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620 Sycamore
Street - June 17, 2006 |
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Busy 24 Hours in Camden NJ - 6 Working Fires along with a Rescue |
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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.
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Click on Images for Enlarged and High Resolution 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. |