1-24-10 751 Water St- 5th Alarm Building

At 4:25 A.M. a box was transmitted in Gloucester City for a reported building fire.  Companies from Gloucester City, Collingswood, Bellmawr, Mt. Ephraim and Westville were dispatched on the initial box. Gloucester City Command, Battalion 504, struck the all hands from several blocks away as a large column was visible in the sky.  Crews arrived at Amspec Chemical Corporation Warehouse to find heavy fire conditions in the 3 story 300x300 building. Command reported a 3 story brick section of the warehouse to be fully involved. Companies prepared to go into defensive operations as Command struck additional alarms. Command requested the Fire Boat from Philadelphia to respond as the building was located on the edge of the Delaware River. Command also requested the 5” strike team to be dispatched for water supply.  The Haz Mat Unit was also dispatched from Cherry Hill for air quality control for the Chemicals in the building.  The fire reached 5 alarms as companies were in operation with Ladder Pipes.  The section of the building where the chemicals were stored was not involved in fire but firefighters operating on the fire ground were advised to be on air as a precaution.  Companies operated on the fire ground for 2 hours before Command reported the fire to be under control. Companies remained on scene for an extended period of time hitting hit spots.  Multiple towns from 3 Counties were called in to assist battling the blaze. The building was reported to be vacant at the time of the fire. The Camden County Fire Marshals have the fire under investigation.  No injuries were reported on the fire ground.

4-9-09 236 W. Hudson St.- All Hands Building

Task Force 5 was dispatched in Gloucester City for a reported building fire at 236 W. Hudson Street at 7:25 A.M.  Battalion 504 arrived and reported smoke showing of a 3 story, 15x 75  mixed used building.  The all hands was sounded on arrival.  Squad 5-1 secured a water supply on the way in and stretched a 1 ¾” hand line.  Engine 1613(Collingswood) arrived and stretched a 2^nd hand line to the 2^nd floor.  Ladder 736(Westville) arrived and set the Arial device up to perform roof operations.  Searches were performed with negative results.  Crews found heavy fire conditions on the 1^st floor with extension on the 2^nd.  The building consisted of a food market on the 1^st floor with the owner living above.  The fire was brought under control with no reported injuries.  The Gloucester City Fire Department and Camden County Fire Marshals have the fire under investigation. 

1-8-09  313 New Jersey Ave- All Hands Dwelling (Photos by Steve Skipton)

6-18-08 GLOUCESTER CITY - Broadway-Market  M.V.A Rescue

Gloucester City Squad 5-1, ALS and BLS were dispatched on the box.  Battalion 504 arrived and reported a SUV on its side against a pole with 2 occupants trapped inside.  Command requested an additional ALS unit and a BLS unit from Camden City as well as Rescue 1 out of Camden City to the scene.  Squad 7 was also added to the box out of Camden as well.  Companies arrived and began to stabilize the vehicle as patient contact was made.  Companies went into operation with a roof removal to free the trapped occupants.  Both patients were transported by ALS and BLS to Cooper Trauma Center in Camden. Gloucester City Police have the accident under investigation. 

6-13-08 GLOUCESTER CITY -  141 Broadway   Building Fire

A building fire was dispatched in Gloucester City at Broadway and Mercer St.’s at 2:45 p.m.  Gloucester City Command arrived at 141 Broadway and confirmed a 1 story Laundromat with smoke showing.  Squad 5-1 arrived and went in operation with a 1 ¾” hand line.  Westville’s Truck Company through a ground ladder to the roof as a back up line was deployed.   Command confirmed the bulk of the fire was knocked down at the 10 minute mark with companies checking for extension.  No injuries were reported on the fire ground.  The Camden County Fire Marshals have the fire under investigation.

3-22-08  GLOUCESTER CITY 50 Rt. 130 -  All Hands Apartment

8-1-07 829 Bergan St. - All Hands Dwelling

On August 1, 2007 at 10:30 am, Task Force Five was dispatched in Gloucester City to 829 Bergan Street for a reported dwelling fire.  Battalion 504 responded and told Camden County Communications he had a visible column from several blocks away.  Battalion 504 arrived and reported a 1 ½ story single family dwelling with heavy smoke showing from division A.  The all hands was sounded.  Squad 5-1 arrived and went in operation with a 1 ¾ inch line to find heavy fire conditions in the rear of the dwelling.  Ground Ladders were set up as searches and a back up was stretched.  Squad 5-1 reported fire to be knocked down on the first floor with extension into the attic area.  The fire was placed under control around the 30 minute mark.  No firefighter injuries were reported on the fire ground.  The fire is under investigation by the Camden County Fire Marshals Office and the Gloucester City Fire Department.

7-1-07 - 611 Hunter Street- 2nd Alarm Dwelling

Around 11:30pm a dwelling with reported people trapped was reported at 611 Hunter Street.Battalion 504 arrived on location and reported a 3 story wood frame dwelling with heavy fire on the number 2 floor.  The 2^nd alarm was transmitted on arrival. Squad 51 arrived and went in operation with the deck gun to knock the bulk of the fire down prior to entering.  Squad 51 went in operation with a 1 ¾ handline and performed searches.  Searches proved to be negative as all occupants were accounted for.  The fire was placed under control around the 30 minute mark.  No injuries were reported on the fire ground.  The Camden County Fire Marshals are investigating the cause of the blaze. 

12-13-06 306 Broadway - 3 Alarm Building Fire

Task Force 5(Gloucester City, Westville, Mt. Ephraim) were dispatched for a reported building fire at Essex and Broadway on December 13, 2006 at 12:37am.

County Radio advised units responding they were receiving multiple calls for smoke in the area.  County Radio also advised units Police arrived on location with heavy smoke showing from “Pirates Den” bar with possible people trapped.  ALS and BLS from Camden City were added to the box.  Squad 5-1 arrived on location to find a 3 story building with heavy smoke on the number 3 floor of the residential side.  (The structure was a bar with an apartment above)The all hands was sounded with Camden City being added to the box being equivalent to the 2^nd Alarm.  Engine 10 and 8, Ladders 2 and 1, Rescue 1 and Battalion 1 were called to the scene.  Squad  5-1 went in service with a 1.75” handline to find heavy fire conditions on the 3^rd floor with fire conditions getting worse.  A search for any trapped occupants turned up negative.    Around the 20 minute mark, Command ordered the evacuation tones and ordered companies to go into defensive attack.  One firefighter was reported to be missing on the 3^rd floor at that time.  Minutes later all firefighters were accounted for and safely exited the structure.  The fire was through the roof at this time.  The 3^rd Alarm was sounded bringing in multiple mutual aid companies to the scene.  Additional apparatus was called in after the 3^rd Alarm as well.  Command reported all companies were setting up master streams as additional water supplies were being established.  Command reported at the 50 minute mark, heavy fire conditions were still present with 5 Arial devices in operation as well as multiple 2 ½’ lines.  One civilian who was in the residence at the time was treated by EMS and transported to an area hospital.  Initial reports indicated they attempted to use a fire extinguisher to extinguish the blaze before getting out.  One firefighter was transported to an area hospital as well.  The status of this firefighter was unknown at this time but did not have life threatening conditions.  The fire was placed under control at the 2 ½ hour mark.  Firefighters remained on scene well into the morning hours working on hot spots.  The Camden County Fire Marshals Office is investigating the fire at this time. 

  More Images

8-28-06 New Squad Co. 5-1 ( Pictures by Gloucester City Fire Dept.)

 7-18-06 401 S. Broadway - All Hands Building Fire

Task Force 5 was dispatched for a report of a building fire around 1 a.m. County Radio informed units that an occupant came to the Gloucester City Police Station and reported a fire at the Furniture Store. Police arrived to find fire showing from the roof. Command arrived and reported fire showing on the roof and requested the all-hands. Crews went into service with a handline to knock down the fire. Crews then opened up and checked for extension. The fire was placed under control around the 45-minute mark. The fire is under investigation by the Camden County Fire Marshal's Office.
   

6-3-06 400 N. Broadway - All Hands Dwelling

Crews arrived to find heavy smoke showing and had fire conditions on the first floor of the dwelling.  Command struck the all hands on arrival. 

10-1-05  Rt. 42 Vehicle Fire (Pictures by Deputy Chief. of Mt. Ephraim Brian Gilmore)