Man and Wife Saved by Passing Firemen

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Camden Courier-Post, April 2, 1928 — Man and Wife Saved by Passing Firemen
Camden Courier-Post, April 2, 1928
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Man and Wife Saved by Passing Firemen Watchman Meets Engines Returning From Another Blaze; 4 Sunday Fires Trapped in their home over a blazing butcher shop on Kaighn avenue, a man and wife were carried down a ladder by firemen who were returning from one of four serious fires which called out every piece of apparatus in Camden yesterday. Total damage in the four fires was estimated at $23,000. Furniture and stationery were ruined, and several automobiles were damaged by flames which gutted the warehouse of Bleakly Brothers, stationers, at 465 Mickle street. Five trucks were destroyed in a blaze in the rear of the Terminal Garage, Ferry and Atlantic avenues. The butcher shop of Samuel Yentis, and the building owned by M. D. Cornish at 741 Kaighn avenue were wrecked by fire. Fire burned through the roof of the home of Dominic Sgariglio, 1271 Kaighn avenue; flames and water destroyed the entire contents of the house. At 3.25 a. m. firemen who had extinguished the garage blaze were returning to their station at Twenty-seventh and Federal streets. Driving east on Kaighn avenue, near Seventh street, they were attracted by a man who suddenly ran into the middle of the street, shouting "Fire, Fire!" He pointed to the blazing butcher shop at 741 Kaighn avenue. The man was George Whitehead, 55 years old, a watchman for the Congoleum Nairn Inc., Seventh street and Kaighn avenue. He had discovered the fire as he sat in his watchman's shack across the street. He ran to the store, pounded on the door until Yentis came to the window of his bedroom. Telling Yentis, who is 35 years old, and his wife, Anna, 33 years old, to dress, Whitehead said he would call firemen. He was on his way to the Sixth street and Kaighn avenue fire station when he met the apparatus returning from the garage fire. Allen Palmer and Clarence Pursglove, both of Engine Company No. 9, carried Yentis and his wife down the ladder. The fire had burned through a wall to the stairway leading to the living quarters of the Yentis family, cutting off escape. Neighbors cared for the butcher and his wife as the firemen extinguished the blaze. Damage was estimated at $1,500 by Cornish, who owns the building, and who lives at 739 Kaighn avenue. The first of the series of Sunday fires sent six engine companies dashing to the Bleakly Brothers warehouse after three alarms had been sounded. Spontaneous combustion was blamed for this, the most serious of the day's fires. Flames shooting from second-floor windows attracted a passerby who turned in the first alarm at 1.30 a. m. Firemen found that the blaze had spread beyond their control and another crew was summoned. Twelve minutes later, a third alarm brought additional men and apparatus. Lack of space, caused by furniture and stationery being piled high on warehouse floors, hampered firemen who fought the flames more than two hours before they were under control. Fred Hutchinson, secretary of the firm, whose store is at 532 Federal street, said today that the company would not be able to estimate the damage until after a check-up of the storehouse inventory had been made. Water Damages Autos. The first floor of the warehouse is occupied by the Plaza Garage, operated by H. R. Dixon, 733 Spruce street. Several automobiles parked there were damaged by water. The two story building is owned by Louis Tarter, Camden real estate man. The Terminal Garage fire was discovered at 2.45 a. m. by Nathan Benson, manager. Three engine companies answered two alarms. Firemen said that an explosion preceded the fire which destroyed five trucks at a loss estimated by Benson at approximately $8,000. J. L. Weiner of 6000 Carpenter street, Philadelphia, owner of the building, estimated his loss at $3,500. Despite the efforts of two men who fought the flames with extinguishers until firemen arrived, the two-story summer home of Charles A. Dilliam, Philadelphia real estate broker, located on White Horse pike, Laurel Springs, was gutted yesterday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Dilliam had gone to the house for the weekend and had built a fire in the fireplace. Smoke was noticed creeping through the clapboards by C. R. Miller, an attendant at a gas filling station across the street. Calling firemen, Miller, assisted by Edward C. Vanderbilt, 1137 Lawrence street, Camden, who was driving by, held the flames in check until Laurel Springs Fire Companies No. 1 and 2, under Chief Edward L. Condon, arrived.

Watchman Meets Engines Returning From Another Blaze; 4 Sunday Fires

Trapped in their home over a blazing butcher shop on Kaighn avenue, a man and wife were carried down a ladder by firemen who were returning from one of four serious fires which called out every piece of apparatus in Camden yesterday.

Total damage in the four fires was estimated at $23,000.

Furniture and stationery were ruined, and several automobiles were damaged by flames which gutted the warehouse of Bleakly Brothers, stationers, at 465 Mickle street.

Five trucks were destroyed in a blaze in the rear of the Terminal Garage, Ferry and Atlantic avenues.

The butcher shop of Samuel Yentis, and the building owned by M. D. Cornish at 741 Kaighn avenue were wrecked by fire.

Fire burned through the roof of the home of Dominic Sgariglio, 1271 Kaighn avenue; flames and water destroyed the entire contents of the house.

At 3.25 a. m. firemen who had extinguished the garage blaze were returning to their station at Twenty-seventh and Federal streets. Driving east on Kaighn avenue, near Seventh street, they were attracted by a man who suddenly ran into the middle of the street, shouting "Fire, Fire!" He pointed to the blazing butcher shop at 741 Kaighn avenue.

The man was George Whitehead, 55 years old, a watchman for the Congoleum Nairn Inc., Seventh street and Kaighn avenue. He had discovered the fire as he sat in his watchman's shack across the street. He ran to the store, pounded on the door until Yentis came to the window of his bedroom.

Telling Yentis, who is 35 years old, and his wife, Anna, 33 years old, to dress, Whitehead said he would call firemen. He was on his way to the Sixth street and Kaighn avenue fire station when he met the apparatus returning from the garage fire.

Allen Palmer and Clarence Pursglove, both of Engine Company No. 9, carried Yentis and his wife down the ladder. The fire had burned through a wall to the stairway leading to the living quarters of the Yentis family, cutting off escape. Neighbors cared for the butcher and his wife as the firemen extinguished the blaze.

Damage was estimated at $1,500 by Cornish, who owns the building, and who lives at 739 Kaighn avenue.

The first of the series of Sunday fires sent six engine companies dashing to the Bleakly Brothers warehouse after three alarms had been sounded. Spontaneous combustion was blamed for this, the most serious of the day's fires.

Flames shooting from second-floor windows attracted a passerby who turned in the first alarm at 1.30 a. m. Firemen found that the blaze had spread beyond their control and another crew was summoned. Twelve minutes later, a third alarm brought additional men and apparatus.

Lack of space, caused by furniture and stationery being piled high on warehouse floors, hampered firemen who fought the flames more than two hours before they were under control.

Fred Hutchinson, secretary of the firm, whose store is at 532 Federal street, said today that the company would not be able to estimate the damage until after a check-up of the storehouse inventory had been made.

Water Damages Autos

The first floor of the warehouse is occupied by the Plaza Garage, operated by H. R. Dixon, 733 Spruce street. Several automobiles parked there were damaged by water. The two story building is owned by Louis Tarter, Camden real estate man.

The Terminal Garage fire was discovered at 2.45 a. m. by Nathan Benson, manager. Three engine companies answered two alarms.

Firemen said that an explosion preceded the fire which destroyed five trucks at a loss estimated by Benson at approximately $8,000. J. L. Weiner of 6000 Carpenter street, Philadelphia, owner of the building, estimated his loss at $3,500.

Despite the efforts of two men who fought the flames with extinguishers until firemen arrived, the two-story summer home of Charles A. Dilliam, Philadelphia real estate broker, located on White Horse pike, Laurel Springs, was gutted yesterday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Dilliam had gone to the house for the weekend and had built a fire in the fireplace. Smoke was noticed creeping through the clapboards by C. R. Miller, an attendant at a gas filling station across the street. Calling firemen, Miller, assisted by Edward C. Vanderbilt, 1137 Lawrence street, Camden, who was driving by, held the flames in check until Laurel Springs Fire Companies No. 1 and 2, under Chief Edward L. Condon, arrived.

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