Historic Camden, NJ

Burns Street

Burns Street was part of Camden's historic “Poet's Row” neighborhood, a small cluster of streets named after famous English literary figures. This charming section, located north of Erie Street and running east-west from North 2nd Street, included Byron Street, Burns Street, and Milton Street. These streets first appeared in the Camden City Directory for 1890-1891, with homes initially appearing at the ends of each block. Burns Street, specifically its 200 block, saw limited early development, suggesting it was built after Byron Street but before Milton Street.

During the 1890s, North Camden was thriving with industrial growth, drawing entrepreneurs and skilled tradesmen. Many residents of Poet's Row worked locally or commuted to Philadelphia via the nearby Vine Street and Shackamaxon ferries. The area was thoughtfully designed with corner stores for convenience, brick sidewalks, and cobblestone streets, contributing to its strong sense of community and character.

For decades, Poet's Row remained a vibrant, close-knit neighborhood. However, after World War II, the decline of local industry began to take its toll. The true devastation came in the early morning hours of August 24, 1972, when a recently closed factory caught fire. The flames quickly spread to nearby homes, destroying all of Milton Street, all of Burns Street, and much of the north side of Byron Street. Only two homes — 241 Byron Street and 243 Byron Street — survived the blaze. When the sun rose that day, Burns Street essentially no longer existed.

Location


Related Photos

Looking East on the 200 block of Burns Street on the day after the fire.
Looking East on the 200 block of Burns Street on the day after the fire.
The 200 Block of Burns Street, as seen form North 3rd Street. The photos of Engine Company 3 doing everything it could with its deck pipe and hand-held hose to cutoff the rapidly spreading fire. In the early stages of the fire Engine Companies often found themselves alone on an entire block, desperately trying to make a stand while awaiting reinforcements. Several units, driven back by the intense fire, would disconnect from the fire hydrants, fall back to the next hydrant further down the street, only to be driven back once again as the fire continued to spread. Engine Company 3 operated by itself for nearly one half-hour until assisted by a subsequent mutual aid fire company.
The 200 Block of Burns Street, as seen form North 3rd Street. The photos of Engine Company 3 doing everything it could with its deck pipe and hand-held hose to cutoff the rapidly spreading fire. In the early stages of the fire Engine Companies often found themselves alone on an entire block, desperately trying to make a stand while awaiting reinforcements. Several units, driven back by the intense fire, would disconnect from the fire hydrants, fall back to the next hydrant further down the street, only to be driven back once again as the fire continued to spread. Engine Company 3 operated by itself for nearly one half-hour until assisted by a subsequent mutual aid fire company.
Engine Company 3 stands in stark contrast with the devastation surrounding an area of four square city blocks. Ten alarms with aid from fire departments outside of Camden and over two hundred firefighters worked for eight hours before bringing the fire under control. Forty-two homes and the original John R. Evans factory building, where the fire started, completely collapsed, and an additional thirty houses were severely damaged. Hundreds of Poets Row residents lost everything. Although there were scores of injuries to both firefighters and civilians, miraculously all were minor in nature.
Engine Company 3 stands in stark contrast with the devastation surrounding an area of four square city blocks. Ten alarms with aid from fire departments outside of Camden and over two hundred firefighters worked for eight hours before bringing the fire under control. Forty-two homes and the original John R. Evans factory building, where the fire started, completely collapsed, and an additional thirty houses were severely damaged. Hundreds of Poets Row residents lost everything. Although there were scores of injuries to both firefighters and civilians, miraculously all were minor in nature.

Ruins of original fire building and surrounding neighborhood at Poets Row, North Camden, in the aftermath of the worst conflagration in the history of the Camden Fire Department.
Ruins of original fire building and surrounding neighborhood at Poets Row, North Camden, in the aftermath of the worst conflagration in the history of the Camden Fire Department.
Ruins of original fire building and surrounding neighborhood at Poets Row, North Camden, in the aftermath of the worst conflagration in the history of the Camden Fire Department.
Ruins of original fire building and surrounding neighborhood at Poets Row, North Camden, in the aftermath of the worst conflagration in the history of the Camden Fire Department.
Pandemonium in Poets Row as residents attempt to hurriedly evacuate homes of furnishings as the conflagration took off. High winds and flying embers, combined with the intense radiant heat created fire storm conditions. The Fire Companies arriving on the scene in response to the Greater Alarms entered the Poets Row streets to find everything burning- buildings, trees, fences, parked cars, and telephone poles. Live electrical wires were down and arcing everywhere.
Pandemonium in Poets Row as residents attempt to hurriedly evacuate homes of furnishings as the conflagration took off. High winds and flying embers, combined with the intense radiant heat created fire storm conditions. The Fire Companies arriving on the scene in response to the Greater Alarms entered the Poets Row streets to find everything burning- buildings, trees, fences, parked cars, and telephone poles. Live electrical wires were down and arcing everywhere.
This photograph, taken from the 3rd street end of Milton Street, shows the houses on the 2nd Street end already ablaze.
This photograph, taken from the 3rd street end of Milton Street, shows the houses on the 2nd Street end already ablaze.
Fire started in the former John R. Evans Co. leather factory, a block long factory building at North 2nd and Erie Streets in north camden on a hot summer night, August 23, 1972. Inadequate water pressure, combined with a stiff breeze from the south indicated that there was trouble ahead. The first responding Fire Company, Engine Company 6, sounded the Second Alarm upon arrival. This photo is looking East on Byron Street.
Fire started in the former John R. Evans Co. leather factory, a block long factory building at North 2nd and Erie Streets in north camden on a hot summer night, August 23, 1972. Inadequate water pressure, combined with a stiff breeze from the south indicated that there was trouble ahead. The first responding Fire Company, Engine Company 6, sounded the Second Alarm upon arrival. This photo is looking East on Byron Street.

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