5 Hurt as Bus Skids Into Fire Engine at River Road and Federal Street

5 Hurt as Bus Skids Into Fire Engine at River Road and Federal Street SLIPPERY PAVEMENT BLAMED FOR FREAK HIGHWAY COLLISION P. S. Vehicle Was Trying to Pull to One Side to Allow Engine to Pass INVESTIGATION ORDERED A city fireman and four bus passengers were injured yesterday in a collision between a fire engine, enroute to a training school, and a bus at River road and Federal street. The fireman, Harry Hess, 32, of 2733 Sherman avenue, attached to Engine Company No. 11, at Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue, suffered cuts of the ear, scalp and wrist and bruises of the chest. He is in West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital. The riders injured, all of whom were treated at Cooper Hospital, are Miss Alice Messmer, 24, of Bedford avenue, Merchantville, who suffered bruises of the left arm; Miss Lillian Foster, 20, of 3313 Highland avenue, treated for shock; Mrs. Edith McCrea, 48, of 2647 Westfield avenue, bruises of the back, and Mabel Stark, 15, of 29 South Thirty-fourth street, cuts of the cheek and bruises of the face and forehead. Later, a man who said he was Horace S. Gerrick, 60, of 54 West Chestnut avenue, Merchantville, entered Cooper Hospital and said he had been injured while riding on the bus. He was treated for rib contusions and sent home. Wet streets were blamed by police for the accident. The bus skidded into the fire truck, they said. Fire Chief John Lennox, who went to the scene, said an investigation would be made in an effort to fix responsibility. "The collision took place this morning at 10.30 o'clock, at the intersection of Federal street and River road," he explained. "The fire engine was making a right turn onto Federal street off River road. The bus, owned and operated by Public Service Coordinated Transport Company, was traveling west on Federal street. It had come from Merchantville, and was en route to the ferries. "From what I have learned so far by talking to witnesses to the accident, the bus pulled over to the left side of the street. As it did, the rear end skidded into the truck. "As matters appear now, we do not intend to arrest the bus driver, but an investigation will be made to place responsibility for the crash." The fire apparatus was headed for the fire training school at Ninth street and Morgan boulevard. It was driven by Herman Dreas, 43, of 1241 North Twenty-sixth street, who said the siren was sounding as the engine approached Federal street. Michael Mungioli, 34, of 798 North Thirtieth street, one of the firemen on the truck, said the bus driver, hearing the siren, attempted to swerve his vehicle quickly, and the collision resulted. Neither machine overturned. A score of passengers in the bus were shaken up. The girl and three women who were more seriously injured were taken to Cooper hospital in automobiles. The engine, a combination pumper, hose and chemical truck, valued at $10,000, was in charge of Captain Herman Kreher, 51, of 1003 North Twenty-sixth street, commander of Engine Company No. 1. He escaped injury, as also did Mungioli, Dreas, John Morefield, 43, of 2914 Cramer street, and Harry Curry, 54, of 1035 Beideman avenue, other firemen on the vehicle. The driver of the bus, K. J. Chard, 27, of 1188 Haddon avenue, also was uninjured. Neither vehicle was badly damaged, although it was necessary to tow the truck back to its station. No estimate of the damage done either machine has been made. The bus driver stated he saw the fire apparatus in the middle of the street at a distance of 100 feet. As he approached he applied his brakes but the rear wheels skidded and struck the engine on the right side.