Camden Courier-Post, April 24, 1948View transcription
FIREMAN TOY DEAD FROM AUTO CRASH
Pfefferle's Condition Reported Good; Bus Driver to Face New Charges
William Earl Toy, veteran Camden fireman, succumbed yesterday to injuries received in the line of duty Saturday while driving to a fire at Berwick and Boyd streets.
Toy, 45 and a member of the department 17 years, was at the wheel of Acting Chief William Van Pfefferle's car when it collided with a west-bound Public Service bus at Sixteenth and Federal streets.
Pfefferle escaped with severe cuts and bruises but Toy suffered fractures of the thigh, arm and wrist and internal injuries, the latter proving fatal. Both men were taken to Cooper hospital, where Pfefferle's condition today was described as good.
Driver to Be Arraigned Again.
The driver of the bus, Norman Davidson, of 3738 Frosthofler avenue, Pennsauken, previously released on $500 bail to await outcome of Toy's injuries, will be arraigned before Police Judge Cohen Wednesday on a charge of death by auto.
Davidson escaped injury but three passengers in the bus bound from Merchantville to the Camden ferries were hurt slightly. Two of them were children. The three were treated for cuts and bruises at the Cooper and released.
They are Miss Katherine Durborrow, 28, of 2928 High street; Greta Gaskill, 12, of 3311 Highland avenue, and Elaine Miller, 8, of 6211 Magnolia avenue, Pennsauken.
Toy and his wife, Margaret C. lived at 607 West street. He recently returned to duty after being
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FIREMAN TOY DEAD FROM AUTO CRASH
Pfefferle's Condition Reported Good; Bus Driver to Face New Charges
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out with a broken ankle, caused when he was struck by a car; she just recovered from a broken collar bone received in a fall. Their only son, William, Jr., is stationed in Colorado, with the Army Air Corps. He is on his way home for the funeral.
Meanwhile, yesterday, unaware of his son's death, Toy's father, Lemuel Toy, 86, of the same address, was admitted to the hospital suffering from a heart ailment. His condition was termed as fair.
Toy was employed by the J. B. VanSciver Company before entering the fire department. He was a member of the Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association and as a young man played baseball in South Camden. He was third baseman with the old Towers club.
Wife's Brother in Bureau
Mrs. Toy is the sister of John K. Voll, veteran member of the city fire department now attached to Engine Company No. 1.
Nineteen persons, several of them children, were forced to flee from nine row houses in the 2100 block on Berwick street when they became smokefilled and were threatened by flames which started in the store-dwelling at 2150. Two infants were carried to the street. Toy was driving Pfefferle, acting deputy chief at headquarters, Fifth and Arch streets, to this fire when the fatal crash occured.
Fire Chief Lennox blamed the fire on a careless smoker who, he said, dropped a lighted cigarette on an overstuffed chair on the second floor of the store-dwelling. The store proprietor said only a maid who had gone off duty at 1 p. m., had been in the room.
Pfefferle's Condition Reported Good; Bus Driver to Face New Charges
William Earl Toy, veteran Camden fireman, succumbed yesterday to injuries received in the line of duty Saturday while driving to a fire at Berwick and Boyd streets.
Toy, 45 and a member of the department 17 years, was at the wheel of Acting Chief William Van Pfefferle's car when it collided with a west-bound Public Service bus at Sixteenth and Federal streets.
Pfefferle escaped with severe cuts and bruises but Toy suffered fractures of the thigh, arm and wrist and internal injuries, the latter proving fatal. Both men were taken to Cooper hospital, where Pfefferle's condition today was described as good.
Driver to Be Arraigned Again.
The driver of the bus, Norman Davidson, of 3738 Frosthofler avenue, Pennsauken, previously released on $500 bail to await outcome of Toy's injuries, will be arraigned before Police Judge Cohen Wednesday on a charge of death by auto.
Davidson escaped injury but three passengers in the bus bound from Merchantville to the Camden ferries were hurt slightly. Two of them were children. The three were treated for cuts and bruises at the Cooper and released.
They are Miss Katherine Durborrow, 28, of 2928 High street; Greta Gaskill, 12, of 3311 Highland avenue, and Elaine Miller, 8, of 6211 Magnolia avenue, Pennsauken.
Toy and his wife, Margaret C. lived at 607 West street. He recently returned to duty after being out with a broken ankle, caused when he was struck by a car; she just recovered from a broken collar bone received in a fall. Their only son, William, Jr., is stationed in Colorado, with the Army Air Corps. He is on his way home for the funeral.
Meanwhile, yesterday, unaware of his son's death, Toy's father, Lemuel Toy, 86, of the same address, was admitted to the hospital suffering from a heart ailment. His condition was termed as fair.
Toy was employed by the J. B. VanSciver Company before entering the fire department. He was a member of the Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association and as a young man played baseball in South Camden. He was third baseman with the old Towers club.
Nineteen persons, several of them children, were forced to flee from nine row houses in the 2100 block on Berwick street when they became smokefilled and were threatened by flames which started in the store-dwelling at 2150. Two infants were carried to the street. Toy was driving Pfefferle, acting deputy chief at headquarters, Fifth and Arch streets, to this fire when the fatal crash occured.
Fire Chief Lennox blamed the fire on a careless smoker who, he said, dropped a lighted cigarette on an overstuffed chair on the second floor of the store-dwelling. The store proprietor said only a maid who had gone off duty at 1 p. m., had been in the room.
