Chief Deitz Dies at City Fire Scene


Camden Courier-Post – November 15, 1962

Second District Fire Chief [William] Harry Deitz, 52, a 25-year veteran in the Camden Fire Department, collapsed and died Wednesday night.

Chief Deitz was directing operations at the home of Mrs. Bernice Fox, 41, at 33 Terrace Avenue, where a fire was burning in the cellar. The chief, who was inside, told Fore Captain Thomas Winstanley he was in need of fresh air and walked outside.

There he spoke with Patrolman Douglas Tydeman about a car parked in front of a fire hydrant which had prevented hooking up a pumper. He collapsed and was placed in a police cart where he was given oxygen as he was rushed to Cooper Hospital. He was dead on arrival.

Coroner Creran ordered an autopsy today.

Chief Deitz was appointed to the fore department in 1937, and was made a captain in 1948 and district chief in 1955. Eligible for retirement since may, he planned to leave the department in January. He lived at 33 South 32nd Street.

Surviving are his wife, Florence; two daughters, Dorothy, a nurse at Cooper Hospital, and Mrs. Roberta Wagner of Camden; a son, William, at home; and his mother and stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. George Attison of Atlantic City.

At the fire, damage was confined to the basement. Mrs. Fox was on the second floor and her two children, Diane, 14, and Bert, 8, were on the first floor when the fire started. Bert ran upstairs and gave the alarm and Mrs. Fox called firemen.


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