Cleaner Plant Blast Injures Fire Captain
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(Reprinted from Monday's Late Edition)
Fire Capt. Leonard Garbrecht, 49, of 1621 Olympia rd., was admitted to West Jersey Hospital with head injuries Monday after a blast during a fire in a dry cleaning plant at 2201 S. 8th st.
Garbrecht, of Engine Company 3, Broadway and Emerald st., was struck by the door of a dry cleaning tumbler which blew off as he entered the Mechanics Overall Service, Inc., plant with other firemen. They confined the blaze to the machine.
Acting District Chief Edward Michalak said the fire apparently was caused by static electricity. Pressure in the tumbler caused the blast, he said. Garbrecht, struck on the right side of the head, was thrown against steam radiators and was semiconscious when police took him to the hospital, Michalak said.