Camden Post-Telegram, December 27, 1910View transcription
FIREMEN TRAPPED
IN BURNING STORE
Seven Fight Their Way Out
After Being Surrounded
by Flames.
BLAZING CHILDREN
PERIL WHOLE BLOCK
Caught like rats in a trap in a fire that threatened the entire business block on the east side of Broadway between Chestnut street and Kaighn avenue, yesterday morning, seven firemen, back to back, fought their way through flames and smoke escaping with singed hair and eyebrows and slight burns of the face, head and hands.
And while these brave men were battling against great odds, the father and mother of two pretty little girls, aged eighteen and thirty months, were alternately laughing and crying, or praising a plucky little woman who saved their tots from being burned to death.
Six of the firemen—Captain Charles Robinson, Captain Samuel Price, Lieutenant Harry Haines, Morton Clark, James McDermott, John McTaggart—were from the Kaighn avenue house. The other was Roy Smith, of the Chemical Company from House No. 7.
The children who were saved from an awful fate are: Florence Erlick and Martha Erlick, and their rescuer is Mrs. Tillie Sackett, of 1122 Broadway.
Three stores, 1118, 1120, 1122 Broadway, were practically gutted and the upper stories in the rear badly damaged, the whole entailing a loss estimated at $6,500 of which the major portion is covered by insurance. The police arrangements were perfect, the entire block being roped off within a few minutes after the fire alarm was turned in at Broadway and Kaighn avenue by Reserve Policeman Matlack.
Harry Erlick conducts a dry goods, notion and gents' furnishing store at 1120 Broadway. About 10.45 o'clock he left the front of the store to go to the kitchen, leaving the little girls, Florence, aged 30 months, and Martha, aged 18 months, at play in the store, his wife being out on an errand. Only a short time elapsed when he was startled by the screams of Florence and rushing into the store saw her standing near the coal stove trying to beat out the fire in a paper belt that she had around her body.
As Mr. Erlick entered she ran towards him, the blaze from the belt setting fire to some of the goods on the counter. Thinking only of his children, Mr. Erlick beat out the fire on the little one's clothing but by this time the flames were rapidly spreading over the rear of the store.
Believing that the little ones were
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FIREMEN TRAPPED
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all right he took them into the store 1122 occupied by Edward T. Sackett, manager of a branch office of the Singer Sewing Machine Co., and, calling to Mrs. Sackett to care for them, he started for the door to turn in an alarm. As Mrs. Sackett rose to go to the little ones she discovered that Florence's dress was on fire and before she reached the child the dress of Martha was ablaze.
With great presence of mind Mrs. Sackett threw both children to the floor and covered them with a big rug, instantly smothering the flames, and she then tore off the outer garments to be sure that there was no further danger. In the meantime the firemen had been summoned and by the time the companies from Kaighn Avenue arrived the flames were leaping above the roof of 1120. The children were then taken to the home of friends where it was found they were only slightly burned.
Assistant Chief Cox, of the southern district, immediately ordered a general alarm and it was undoubtedly due to this that the block was saved, for the frame buildings were rapidly going in the rear when powerful streams from nearly every engine in the department checked the further spread of the flames and in less than thirty minutes the fire was out.
The seven firemen who had a close call went into the front of Mr. Erlick's store with hose from two chemical engines to hold the blaze in check until water could be forced by the engines, and although they were fighting valiantly they were making but little progress owing to the inflammable nature of the stock and the fact that the building was frame and very old.
They were there only a few minutes when they were startled by the crashing of glass and in turning they saw that each bulk window was on fire and that a sheet of flame was extending across the front of the building.
"Back to back and fight both ways" shouted Captain Robinson and the men obeyed, two streams being directed against the front of the store and two in the rear. In what seemed like an age, according to a statement made by Captain Robinson, after returning to the house, but in reality only a short space of time, the men conquered the fire in the front part of the store and then attacked the [illegible] body.
The flames rapidly communicated to the provision store of Mrs. Mary Polasky, 1118 Broadway, another frame building on the north, but by this time several of the engines were in service and lines of hose were run to the backs of the three houses where the fire could be fought to better advantage. When it looked as if the jewelry store of H. Nurock, 1124 Broadway, would be licked up, ladders were brought into play and extra streams were run in from the upper stories from Broadway, and from that instant all danger of a big conflagration was over.
The insurance on the Palosky's household goods expired less than a month ago and they decided that they would not take out any more policies until after the first of the year. Although a great many of their household goods were saved, their loss on stock and other goods is estimated at $1,000. The property is owned by Samuel Shane. The estimated loss is $500, covered by insurance.
Mr. Erlick places his loss at $2,000, with insurance. The property is probably damaged to the extent of $1,000. It is owned by Joseph Hermann and is fully insured.
No. 1122 is owned by the estate of Harry Pinsky. The property is damaged to the amount of $500. The loss of the Singer Sewing Machine Co. may amount to $1,000, and that of the tenant, Edward T. Sackett, $500, all covered by insurance.
Peter Gray and Harvey Watts, stationed at headquarters, were off duty at the time, but hearing of the fire returned to the house and went to the scene with the supply wagon. On the way an automobile ran into them and although Gray had a rib cracked he remained on duty until the fire was out and when Chief Elfreth wanted to send him to a hospital Gray drove the team back and then went home.
All during the fire Jeweler Nurock's store was heavily guarded by policemen and when everything was over he not only congratulated the officers but the heads of the Fire Department, stating that too much praise could not be given for the excellent service rendered. This view was shared by many other business men of the neighborhood.
Seven Fight Their Way Out After Being Surrounded by Flames.
BLAZING CHILDREN PERIL WHOLE BLOCK
Caught like rats in a trap in a fire that threatened the entire business block on the east side of Broadway between Chestnut street and Kaighn avenue, yesterday morning, seven firemen, back to back, fought their way through flames and smoke escaping with singed hair and eyebrows and slight burns of the face, head and hands.
And while these brave men were battling against great odds, the father and mother of two pretty little girls, aged eighteen and thirty months, were alternately laughing and crying, or praising a plucky little woman who saved their tots from being burned to death.
The children who were saved from an awful fate are: Florence Erlick and Martha Erlick, and their rescuer is Mrs. Tillie Sackett, of 1122 Broadway.
Three stores, 1118, 1120, 1122 Broadway, were practically gutted and the upper stories in the rear badly damaged, the whole entailing a loss estimated at $6,500 of which the major portion is covered by insurance. The police arrangements were perfect, the entire block being roped off within a few minutes after the fire alarm was turned in at Broadway and Kaighn avenue by Reserve Policeman Matlack.
Harry Erlick conducts a dry goods, notion and gents’ furnishing store at 1120 Broadway. About 10.45 o’clock he left the front of the store to go to the kitchen, leaving the little girls, Florence, aged 30 months, and Martha, aged 18 months, at play in the store, his wife being out on an errand. Only a short time elapsed when he was startled by the screams of Florence and rushing into the store saw her standing near the coal stove trying to beat out the fire in a paper belt that she had around her body.
As Mr. Erlick entered she ran towards him, the blaze from the belt setting fire to some of the goods on the counter. Thinking only of his children, Mr. Erlick beat out the fire on the little one’s clothing but by this time the flames were rapidly spreading over the rear of the store.
Believing that the little ones were all right he took them into the store 1122 occupied by Edward T. Sackett, manager of a branch office of the Singer Sewing Machine Co., and, calling to Mrs. Sackett to care for them, he started for the door to turn in an alarm. As Mrs. Sackett rose to go to the little ones she discovered that Florence’s dress was on fire and before she reached the child the dress of Martha was ablaze.
With great presence of mind Mrs. Sackett threw both children to the floor and covered them with a big rug, instantly smothering the flames, and she then tore off the outer garments to be sure that there was no further danger. In the meantime the firemen had been summoned and by the time the companies from Kaighn Avenue arrived the flames were leaping above the roof of 1120. The children were then taken to the home of friends where it was found they were only slightly burned.
Assistant Chief Cox, of the southern district, immediately ordered a general alarm and it was undoubtedly due to this that the block was saved, for the frame buildings were rapidly going in the rear when powerful streams from nearly every engine in the department checked the further spread of the flames and in less than thirty minutes the fire was out.
The seven firemen who had a close call went into the front of Mr. Erlick’s store with hose from two chemical engines to hold the blaze in check until water could be forced by the engines, and although they were fighting valiantly they were making but little progress owing to the inflammable nature of the stock and the fact that the building was frame and very old.
They were there only a few minutes when they were startled by the crashing of glass and in turning they saw that each bulk [sic] window was on fire and that a sheet of flame was extending across the front of the building.
“Back to back and fight both ways” shouted Captain Robinson and the men obeyed, two streams being directed against the front of the store and two in the rear. In what seemed like an age, according to a statement made by Captain Robinson, after returning to the house, but in reality only a short space of time, the men conquered the fire in the front part of the store and then attacked the [?] body.
The flames rapidly communicated to the provision store of Mrs. Mary Polasky, 1118 Broadway, another frame building on the north, but by this time several of the engines were in service and lines of hose were run to the backs of the three houses where the fire could be fought to better advantage. When it looked as if the jewelry store of H. Nurock, 1124 Broadway, would be licked up, ladders were brought into play and extra streams were run in from the upper stories from Broadway, and from that instant all danger of a big conflagration was over.
The insurance on the Palosky’s household goods expired less than a month ago and they decided that they would not take out any more policies until after the first of the year. Although a great many of their household goods were saved, their loss on stock and other goods is estimated at $1,000. The property is owned by Samuel Shane. The estimated loss is $500, covered by insurance.
Mr. Erlick places his loss at $2,000, with insurance. The property is probably damaged to the extent of $1,000. It is owned by Joseph Hermann and is fully insured.
No. 1122 is owned by the estate of Harry Pinsky. The property is damaged to the amount of $500. The loss of the Singer Sewing Machine Co. may amount to $1,000, and that of the tenant, Edward T. Sackett, $500, all covered by insurance.
Peter Gray and Harvey Watts, stationed at headquarters, were off duty at the time, but hearing of the fire returned to the house and went to the scene with the supply wagon. On the way an automobile ran into them and although Gray had a rib cracked he remained on duty until the fire was out and when Chief Elfreth wanted to send him to a hospital Gray drove the team back and then went home.
All during the fire Jeweler Nurock’s store was heavily guarded by policemen and when everything was over he not only congratulated the officers but the heads of the Fire Department, stating that too much praise could not be given for the excellent service rendered. This view was shared by many other business men of the neighborhood.
