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1966
Incident reports for all emergency calls to which Lawrence Road firefighters
responded in 1966 have been lost, but according to the 1966 List of
Active Firemen filed with the state the company responded to 57 alarms
and conducted 25 drills during the year.
January
11, 1966
On Tuesday, January 11, 1966, Lawrence Road firefighters helped battle
a blaze in an old farmhouse. The following account was published by
the Trenton Evening Times on Wednesday, January 12, 1966: “When
an unidentified neighborhood boy opened the rear door at the Garrett
Bush farmhouse off Princeton Pike yesterday, flames and smoke leaped
out to meet him. The boy ran across the field to the Union Bag Research
Center, where a switchboard operator called firemen. The old three-story
frame house, vacant at this time, was gutted by the blaze at 3:36 p.m.
The building was declared a total loss by Lawrenceville Fire Chief William
Eggert. The Bushes and their six children were not home when the fire
was discovered but firemen from Lawrenceville, Lawrence Road and Slackwood
didn’t know that when they arrived. Several firemen ought their
way into the burning building and searched it for occupants before learning
the family was away. The only source of heat in the rambling old farmhouse,
which was condemned by the Lawrence Township Board of Health last November
as a health hazard, is a fireplace in the living room. According to
Chief Eggert, the oldest Bush girl, about 17, returned earlier and placed
a railroad tie in the fireplace to heat the house for the return of
the younger Bush children. She then left the house with her boyfriend.
The chief said the mantle over the fireplace was ignited by the heat
from the railroad tie and fell onto the floor behind a sofa. The fire
then spread across the floor to the walls and up through the entire
house to the attic. ‘It was a bad fire,’ Eggert said. ‘It
was burning inside the walls and we had a devil of a time getting it
out.’ To fight the blaze, firemen had to run hoses along Princeton
Pike from water outlets at the Princeton University Press plant. At
5:18 p.m., while firemen were still fighting the fire, two cars collided
in front of Princeton University Press. Firemen worked at the scene
until nearly 7 p.m. At 9:30 p.m. they were called back when the fire
flared up again. This time they had to pull the porch off the house
to kill the new fire...”
February
23, 1966
On Wednesday, February 23, 1966, Lawrence Road firefighters assisted
the Lawrenceville Fire Co. at a barn fire. The Trenton Evening Times
published this report on Thursday, February 24, 1966: “A fire apparently
started by children playing with matches destroyed a barn behind the
home of Stanley Wilk on Titus Avenue in Lawrenceville yesterday. According
to police, Wilk’s 11-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter were
feeding pigs and placing new straw bedding in the barn when the straw
caught fire shortly after 5 p.m. The children tried to beat out the
flames with their coats before reporting it, police said. Firemen from
the Lawrenceville and Lawrence Road fire companies responded to the
alarm at 5:20 p.m. and were at the scene until 7:15 p.m. The roof, walls
and straw stored in the barn were destroyed but the pigs escaped. Wilk
estimated damage at between $500 and $1,000.”
1967
Incident
reports for all emergency calls to which Lawrence Road firefighters
responded in 1967 have been lost, but according to the 1967 List of
Active Firemen filed with the state the company responded to 88 alarms
and conducted 23 drills during the year.
February
24, 1967
The following letter, dated Friday, February 24, 1967, was received
from Township Clerk Marie Loveless:
“The
Lawrence Township Committee at their regular meeting held on February
15, 1967, authorized by resolution the installation of emergency reporting
telephone systems at each of the firehouses in Lawrence Township. These
installations are to be made outside the buildings in a convenient place
for the use of the public. Invoicing for these installations and monthly
billings should be made to the township.”
April
17, 1967
The following letter, dated Monday, April 17, 1967, was received from
the Budny tire center at 1920 Brunswick Avenue: “Dear Chief –
We wish to express our gratitude to you and your company for the efficient
handling of the fire at our premises this morning. Your quick response
averted a major fire which could have caused us a loss as well as the
entire neighborhood. It is very comforting to know there are so many
dedicated men in Lawrence Township who will willingly sacrifice for
the protection of the community. We commend you, not only for your efficiency,
but in the careful handling of property. No mere words can adequately
express our pride in your organization and your selflessness. Sincerely
yours, Vincent S. Budny.”
June
16, 1967
On Friday, June 16, 1967, a fire erupted on a state-owned farm on Bear
Tavern Road in Ewing Township, heavily damaging the farm’s main
milking barn and four other buildings. According to a report published
in the Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser on June 18, 1967, eight firemen
suffered burns or were overcome by heat and smoke. “Police believe
the fire began when the sun’s rays, magnified by a window, set
fire to a bale of hay,” according to the Times. Company minutes
indicate Lawrence Road firefighters were mobilized for the blaze. According
to a report filed with the fire company’s insurance company, Lawrence
Road firefighter William Carroll Jr. was “overcome by heat and
smoke” on Friday, June 16, 1967.
June
18, 1967
On the afternoon of Sunday, June 18, 1967, a fierce thunderstorm swept
into the region, accompanied by lightning that started a house fire
in Lawrence Township. Lawrence Road firefighters assisted Lawrenceville
crews in battling the blaze. The Trenton Evening Times printed the following
details about the fire on Monday, June 19, 1967: “A Lawrenceville
Fire Co. volunteer suffered a heart attack while fighting a fire that
caused heavy damage to the home of Michael Balinski on the Princeton-Lewisville
Road. Lightning hit the Balinski home shortly after 7 p.m. The roof
was engulfed in flames. Fireman Roy Devlin, 51, of Franklin Road, was
taken to Helene Fuld Hospital after he was stricken. Devlin is reported
in satisfactory condition at the hospital today...”
September
19, 1967
The following letter, dated Tuesday, September 19, 1967, was sent to
Lawrence Township Mayor Herman Hannsler by the New Jersey Department
of Transportation: “This is in further reference to your letter
of March 6, 1967, in which you request that we investigate the need
of traffic signals at the intersection of U.S. Route 206 and Eldridge
Avenue. We have completed our investigation and it is our finding that
traffic signals are not warranted at this location. Traffic using Eldridge
Avenue is very light and field observations did not reveal any degree
of difficulty for traffic entering U.S. Route 206. With regard to the
firehouse, sight distance for motorists approaching this location on
U.S. Route 206 is good, and any emergency vehicle can readily be seen.
It is our feeling the rotating red lights on the emergency vehicles
are sufficient to cause motorists to yield the right of way. As you
are aware, we are planning to install traffic signals on U.S. Route
206 a short distance north of Eldridge Avenue at Eggerts Crossing Road.
This signal will create gaps in U.S. Route 206 southbound traffic and
be of benefit to motorists on the several side streets in the vicinity.”
October
6, 1967
The following letter, dated Friday, October 6, 1967, was sent to the
Mercer County Fire Chief’s Association by Lawrence Road 2nd Assistant
Chief Robert Hazen: “At a regular meeting of the Lawrence Road
Fire Co. held on September 25, 1967, the membership condemned the order
prohibiting Trenton firemen from being active volunteer firemen. It
was agreed that the order was foolish, discriminatory, and detrimental
to volunteer fire companies. Although the membership was strongly against
the order, they voted in favor of volunteer fire companies continuing
assistance to the City of Trenton. Having expressed their opinion, they
also agreed to support and abide by any decision made by the Mercer
County Fire Chief’s Association on this subject. It should be noted
that this opinion was not made lightly or in haste. It was pointed out
that most of us have relatives or friends living or working in Trenton.
What one of us could excuse himself if any of these people, or others,
suffered fire damage and loss of their dwelling or place of business
because no fire apparatus was on hand to control the fire? What one
of us could live peacefully with his conscience if relatives, friends,
or others suffered serious injury or death because no firemen were available
to rescue them from the horrors of fire? We know, and the Trenton Fire
Department knows, that Trenton does not have sufficient equipment or
manpower to protect the city in time of a major fire or disaster. Trenton
needs volunteer firemen. We believe that the Mercer County Fire Chief’s
Association would attain a greater degree of respect and support if
they condemn the action taken by Trenton against the volunteer firemen
but continued to assist Trenton in time of need. To repeat an old adage,
‘Two wrongs don’t make a right.’ ”
November
9, 1967
Lawrence Road firefighters responded mutual aid to West Windsor Township
on the morning of Thursday, November 9, 1967, when a general alarm inferno
broke out in a combined ice skating rink and bowling alley. The Trenton
Evening Times documented the conflagration with this story in that night’s
newspaper:
“Thirty
women and children bowlers ran to safety today when a roaring fire raced
through the sprawling Princeton Bowl and Indoor Ice Skating Rink on
Route 1. The bowling alley, ice rink and cocktail lounge were destroyed
in the blaze. Fire companies from throughout Mercer County battled the
stubborn fire for nearly three hours before bringing it under control.
Flames and smoke rising from the burning building could be seen miles
away. Nearby small shops and the Prince Theater were not touched by
the flames but suffered smoke damage. No injuries were reported. The
fire broke out at approximately 11 a.m. and was under control by 1:30
p.m. The manager of the complex said he was in his office when he heard
a cracking sound outside about 10:45 a.m. He ran out to the rink and
found the room beginning to fill with smoke.
“West
Windsor Fire Chief Vernon Roszel said when his company arrived about
11 a.m., the roof of the ice skating rink was engulfed in flames. He
said the firemen had to ventilate the building almost immediately because
of ‘the tremendous pressure’ of smoke and gases building up
inside the complex. Roszel said as soon as firemen hacked holes in the
roof and walls to let the smoke out, the fire spread through the bowling
alley and cocktail lounge. The skating rink and bowling alley were reportedly
engulfed in flames within 15 minutes after the first alarm. By 11:30
a.m. the Prince Cocktail Lounge and 19th Hole was burned out. At its
height, the fire was so hot that firemen playing even long streams of
water on the flames were forced to wear face masks. Ultimately, there
were at least 15 fire companies battling the blaze with up to 40 trucks
pressed into service. All of the adjacent shops were saved. Firemen
said the blaze apparently started in the skating rink.”
The
Trenton Evening Times published this followup story on Friday, November
10, 1967: “Less than a month ago five volunteer firemen died in
a bowling alley fire in New Jersey. They had gone to the Cliffside Park
fire from their homes in Ridgefield, Bergen County. They died when a
cinder block wall collapsed on them. That fire on October 15 was on
the minds of many members of the 17 volunteer fire companies fighting
yesterday's blaze near Princeton. The Princeton Bowl and Indoor Ice
Skating Rink was made of cinder block too. Charred timbers and blackened
drainpipes fell across the walls, but most of them stood. Bowling alleys
are bad business for firemen, but none of the more than 100 men working
on the blaze was hurt... There was so much firefighting equipment on
the scene that supplying all the hoses with water became a problem.
At least three 1,500-gallon tankers filled with water were pumping their
contents into other fire companies' hoses. Other trucks used their pumps
to haul water from the Delaware and Raritan Canal, half a mile away.”
December
13, 1967
A natural gas explosion and fire destroyed the home of David C. Morgan
on Glenn Avenue on Wednesday, December 13, 1967. All three township
fire companies reportedly battled the blaze. The Trenton Evening Times
published the following details on Thursday, December 14, 1967: “...Two
men with a backhoe were installing a sewer catch valve in the Morgan
front yard yesterday when they apparently jarred the gas main loose
from the meter inside the house. Morgan evacuated his family. Moments
later, a blast tore through the house sending glass and debris shattering
into the street. Then came a wall of flames which in a matter of minutes
devoured the home.”
1968
Incident
reports for all emergency calls to which Lawrence Road firefighters
responded in 1968 have been lost, but according to a report given by
Chief Linton Reed Jr. at the meeting held Monday, January 13, 1969,
the company responded to 103 emergency calls during 1968. During the
year, Lawrence Road firefighters were in service for 68 hours and 9
minutes and used 6,600 feet of booster hose, 2,200 feet of 1.5-inch
hose and 3,450 feet of 2.5-inch hose, according to the chief’s
report.
January
8, 1968
During the meeting held on Monday, January 8, 1968, “Robert Hazen
brought up the subject of the members thinking of amending the constitution
in order to take on junior firemen. Don Baker said if we ever take in
junior firemen, a man should be assigned by the chief to take care of
and aid the juniors. This will be discussed at future meetings. Don
Baker brought up the subject of expansion. He suggested that we expand
the present engine room or build a new one and postpone the purchase
of the new truck. The trustees and the Board of Governors will discuss
this and bring back their recommendation at a future meeting.”
February
12, 1968
During the meeting held on Monday, February 12, 1968, Wilson Southard’s
resignation as vice president and trustee was read and George Welde
was elected to fill both positions.
March
11, 1968
During the meeting held on Monday, March 11, 1968, the New Truck committee
reported they had settled on two choices – a Bruco and a Maxim.
A closed vote was taken during the meeting and the membership decided
to purchase the Maxim pumper.
March
1968
In March 1968 a one-page typed newsletter titled “Smoke Signals”
was mailed to all members of the Lawrence Road Fire Co. Among the items
of interest in the newsletter are: “In keeping with the policy
of the Lawrence Road Fire Co. to provide the residents of Fire District
2 with up-to-date and efficient fire protection, our members recently
voted to purchase a new Maxim ‘S’ model pumper. Many thanks
to the Truck committee who worked diligently to make this possible…
A committee has been appointed to develop a workable program of junior
firemen for our company. Several boys in the 16-18 age group have expressed
an interest in such a program. A similar program has been instituted
with success at the Slackwood Fire Co. and a representative of that
company spoke to our members at our last meeting.
April
8, 1968
During the meeting on Monday, April 8, 1968, “Motion made by Bob
Hazen we try junior firemen. Motion carried 11 to 3.”
April
22, 1968
Highlights from the minutes of the company meeting held on Monday, April
22, 1968, include: “The amendment concerning junior firemen was
read for the second time. The floor voted unanimously to put the amendment
into the constitution.”
May
1968
In May 1968, a second edition of Lawrence Road’s newsletter “Smoke
Signals” was distributed to the members of the fire company. The
two-page newsletter included the following items of historical interest:
“Our company has voted to accept boys in the 16-17 age group as
junior firemen, and our constitution and by-laws have been amended to
include these members. Copies of the revised constitution and by-laws
should be available in a few weeks. Slackwood is doing very well with
their juniors… During the recent civil disturbances in Trenton,
our company was placed on standby alert, and several of our members
stayed at the firehouse until the emergency was declared over. Cots
and blankets were provided by the Lawrence Township Civil Defense &
Disaster Control Commission. Thanks men for a job well done. Let’s
hope that’s the end of the disturbances.”
June
10, 1968
During the meeting held on Monday, June 10, 1968, Chief Linton Reed
reported progress on the new fire alarm system in the firehouse. He
stated that the alarm “will be hooked into the siren and a bell
will ring.”
August
30, 1968
On Friday, August 30, 1968, Lawrence Road firefighters helped Lawrenceville
Fire Co. at the scene of a structure fire on Titus Avenue. The following
account was printed in that night’s Trenton Evening Times: “Fire
today destroyed a 2.5-story farmhouse on Titus Avenue. The owner of
the house, Stanley Wilk, and his family are vacationing at the Jersey
shore. Theodore Wilk, nephew of the owner, reported the fire after hearing
the crackling of flames at his home at 96 Titus Avenue, about 75 yards
from the house. About 30 firemen, 12 fire engines, including apparatus
from Ewing Township and Pennington, battled the spectacular blaze, but
were unable to prevent total destruction of the farmhouse. A number
of pigs in a pen near the farmhouse were released by the first firemen
who responded to the alarm, according to Gordon Buxton, assistant chief
of Lawrenceville Fire Co. He said the pigs scurried into the fields
when released. Lawrenceville Fire Chief William Eggert said the front
porch of the building was already engulfed in flames when firemen arrived.
Flames leaped high into the sky, burned the leaves and limbs of nearby
trees, and smoke filled the sky over the long rambling wooden farmhouse
on the 250-acre farm just off the end of Titus Avenue.”
September
23, 1968
On Monday, September 23, 1968, crews from all three Lawrence Township
fire companies responded to a structure fire on Hughes Avenue. A photograph
of firefighters battling the blaze was published on the front page of
the Trenton Evening Times on Tuesday, September 24, 1968, with this
story: “Children playing with matches apparently started the fire
late yesterday which severely damaged a Lawrence Township home. The
kitchen and breezeway area of the 128 Hughes Avenue home was gutted
and the garage was razed in the 5:40 p.m. fire at the home of Russell
Andrese Sr., 37. Two of the Andrese children, ages 10 and 7, told police
they had been lighting matches in a charcoal grill in the garage of
the one-story home. The fire got out o control when they doused gasoline
on the grill to make the blaze a little bigger. The pair alerted their
parents in the home when the flames ignited the interior of the garage.
Volunteers from the Lawrence Road, Slackwood and Lawrenceville fire
companies had the blaze under control in less than an hour. No one was
injured in the fire.”
October
28, 1968
Princeton University was struck by fire on the afternoon of Sunday,
October 27, 1968, and Lawrence Road firefighters were among those that
responded on a mutual aid request to help battle the flames. The Trenton
Evening Times published the following account on Monday, October 28,
1968: “Forty students were without permanent living quarters today
after the worst Princeton University fire in 24 years destroyed much
of their campus dormitory yesterday afternoon. Damage to 70-year-old
Little Hall is estimated at $50,000. The cause of the blaze has not
been determined. Firemen from five communities, soaked by water and
covered with ashes from billowing smoke, fought the blaze for more than
three hours. At one point, a record player in a nearby dormitory blared
the pop song, ‘C’mon Baby Light My Fire.’ Hundreds of
enthusiastic student spectators also cheered the blaze, played catch
with beer cans and hopped over fire hoses criss-crossed around the Ivy-covered
stone dormitory. University officials said the blaze damaged eight rooms
so badly that repair will be impossible this year. A student spotted
smoke pouring from one of the rooms in Little Hall and pulled the dormitory
manual fire alarm at 2:23 p.m. yesterday. The dormitory is not included
in the university's automatic fire alarm system. Four students tried
to fight the blaze with fire extinguishers but were forced to quit when
smoke became too thick. The blaze quickly spread through the second
floor of Little Hall and to the building's attic. The flames finally
broke through the roof and two 20-foot sections the structure's roof
collapsed.”
October
29, 1968
The following letter, dated Tuesday, October 29, 1968, was received
from Princeton Borough Mayor Henry S. Patterson II and Fire Commissioner
Robert M. Hendry: “Speaking for the other members of the governing
body and the citizens of the Borough of Princeton, we wish to thank
you for your invaluable assistance in coming to the aid of the Princeton
Fire Department on Sunday, October 27, 1968, at the Little Hall, Princeton
University, fire. Your willingness to answer the call was most heartening.
Your assistance enabled the combined firefighting forces to quickly
bring under control what could have been a most disastrous blaze. Again
we say many thanks. Be assured the Princeton Fire Department always
stands ready to assist you should the occasion arise.”
December
3, 1968
The Upper House dormitory at Lawrenceville School was heavily damaged
by a general alarm fire on Tuesday, December 3, 1968. Lawrence Road
Chief Linton Reed Jr. was injured while fighting the stubborn blaze,
according to documents filed with the fire company’s insurance
company. The nature of the injury, however, is unclear. The following
account was published in the Trenton Evening Times on Wednesday, December
4, 1968:
“Authorities
are still investigating the cause of the fire which severely damaged
the Upper House at the Lawrenceville School yesterday but they believe
it may have started from a student's hotplate. The general alarm fire
burned out the third floor and part of the roof of the Upper House,
a large dormitory on the school campus. About 30 of the 90 prep school
seniors in the three-story dormitory were evacuated after the blaze
broke out in a student's room shortly before 4 p.m. About 60 students
were not in the building. All 90 spent last night in temporary facilities
set up in other buildings on the campus. No student injuries were reported
but three firemen were treated for minor injuries at Helene Fuld Hospital
and released. Several firemen were also treated for smoke inhalation
at the scene.
“Fire
officials said the blaze apparently started in a third-floor room occupied
by Mark Freedman, 17, of Great Neck, N.Y. A charred hotplate was found
in the room late last night. Some authorities believed this caused the
fire but none would say so flatly. ‘Let’s say the origin is
still undetermined,’ said Mercer County Fire Marshal John Dempster.
Dempster was scheduled to return early today to conduct a full-scale
investigation. Yesterday’s fire was the second in 12 years to heavily
damaged the brick and concrete building. In December of 1956, a general
alarm fire also burned out much of the third floor area but a school
official said it was less serious than yesterday's blaze. (Editor’s
note: The date of this prior fire is apparently incorrect, as far as
can be told from Lawrence Road records. The only mention found of an
earlier fire in the Upper House was in May 1955). The school's gymnasium
also burned to the ground in a major fire in December of 1959.
“Lawrenceville
Fire Chief William Eggert, under whose command about 150 volunteers
worked yesterday to bring the fire under control in about three hours,
said the third floor and roof of the 78-year-old structure were substantially
destroyed. But he said the second and first floors of the building suffered
only water and smoke damage. Lawrenceville Assistant Fire Chief Gordon
Buxton, who had charge of the fire until Eggert arrived, said the blaze
started in the east side of the building and slowly worked its way to
the western end. ‘The third floor was really going when we arrived,’
said Buxton. Lawrence Township police received the first alarm at 3:58
p.m. from Peter J. Kiernan, who is chairman of the school’s math
department. Kiernan said last night he was walking on the campus when
he saw flames shooting from a third floor window. He ran to a nearby
building and phoned police.
“The
three Lawrence volunteer fire companies – Slackwood, Lawrence Road
and Lawrenceville – were dispatched immediately but companies from
Hamilton and Ewing townships and Princeton Borough were called as the
fire burned out of control. Pennington Road, Hamilton Square, Prospect
Heights, Nottingham, and DeCou Hose were among the companies called
in. Members of the Lawrence Township First Aid and Rescue Squad also
stood by with two ambulances and a rescue truck and conveyed the injured
to the hospital. Freedman told police he awoke from a nap in his room
when he smelled smoke and discovered that his curtains were on fire.
The youth said he tried to douse the blaze with a fire extinguisher,
failed and ran from the building. His clothing was singed in the process...”
December
5, 1968
The following letter, dated Thursday, December 5, 1968, was received
from Chief William C. Eggert of the Lawrenceville Fire Co.: “Speaking
on behalf of all the members of the Lawrenceville Fire Co., I wish to
extend to you our sincere thanks for a job well done when coming to
our aid on Tuesday, December 3, 1968 at the fire in the Upper House
at the Lawrenceville Prep School. Thanks to your immediate response,
and the response of all the other companies involved, we had a firefighting
force second to none. This then enabled us to readily bring this spectacular
blaze under control. Fortunately, only the third floor suffered the
ravages of fire but, in the process, the first and second floors fell
victim to smoke and water damage. Again, we extend our sincere and heartfelt
thanks for a job well done.” The head master of the Lawrenceville
School sent the following letter of thanks on Sunday, December 15, 1968:
“I write to express the appreciation of the trustees of the Lawrenceville
School and of the whole school community for your prompt response to
the major fire at the Upper House on Tuesday, December 3, and for the
long and dangerous hours which members of your company spent helping
us. Enclosed is a check made out to your company as recognition of the
superlative work which save a building which might have otherwise been
entirely destroyed.”
1969
Incident
reports for 1969 have been lost, but according to a report given during
the company meeting held Monday, January 26, 1970, the Lawrence Road
Fire Co. responded to a total of 104 emergency calls during 1969, including
11 runs to Ewing and two to Princeton. Of the 91 alarms answered in
Lawrence Township, 32 involved dwellings, 20 brush, 11 schools, 10 autos,
six businesses, three garages, and nine miscellaneous. Lawrence Road
firefighters used 3,350 feet of 2.5-inch hose and 1,550 feet of 1.5-inch
hose.
February
3, 1969
The invoice for Lawrence Road’s 1969 Maxim pumper is dated Monday,
February 3, 1969. According to the invoice, the engine was a Model S-2627-C
triple-combination pumper costing $28,766. A handwritten note on the
invoice suggests Lawrence Road Fire Co. accepted delivery of the engine
on Wednesday, February 5, 1969.
April
15, 1969
Lawrence Road firefighters were mobilized when flames broke out and
destroyed several buildings at Mercer County Airport on the morning
of Tuesday, April 15, 1969. The Trenton Evening Times published these
details, with several dramatic, photographs in that night’s newspaper:
“A
spectacular $3 million fire leveled Mercer Airport’s west hangar
early today as flames fed by exploding gas tanks in an estimated 70
aircraft shot into the predawn sky. More than 200 firemen from Ewing
Township and from surrounding communities on both sides of the Delaware
River rushed in to fight the blaze as sirens wailed throughout the area.
No injuries were reported and the $3 million damage estimate could be
conservative. The cause of the fire has not been determined. Leveled
by the fire was the huge wooden hangar built as a Navy testing station
in 1943, plus the Allegheny Airlines waiting room, office and restaurant.
Also destroyed were the fleets of Trenton Aviation Inc. and Ronson Helicopters
Inc., in addition to light planes and helicopters used for aerial observation
by New Jersey’s 50th Armored Division and numerous private aircraft.
“The
fire was reported at 3:30 a.m. The towering flames inside the arched-roof
hangar built of wood because of World War II structural steel shortages
touched off the sprinkler system but the water didn't hold back the
blaze. A gong signaled the water system was operating. Airport Fire
Chief John L. Lee said the fire apparently started in an unsprinklered
part of the building ‘and it spread so fast to the other areas
the sprinklers couldn't handle it.’ Firemen from the airport, Prospect
Heights, and Yardley-Makefield fire companies pumped hundreds of thousands
of gallons of water into the inferno. Other firemen from Ewing, Lawrence,
Hamilton, and Titusville’s Union Fire Co. were kept busy pouring
foam over a tank truck loaded with aviation fuel and parked next to
the burning hangar. Four other gas-laden trucks were driven from the
hangar.
“The
roof fell in at 4 a.m., and firemen moved unsuccessfully to save the
Allegheny offices. Flames and smoke rose hundreds of feet into the air
as firemen fought for almost two hours to bring the blaze under control.
Wreckage was still smoldering five hours after the blaze broke out.
‘This was an outstanding job of firefighting,’ said the smoke-smudged
Lee. ‘The mutual aid plan in Mercer County really worked. Nothing
more than 25 feet away from the hangar burned.’” An update
in the Trenton Evening Times on Wednesday, April 16, 1969, reported
that a total of 62 aircraft were destroyed by the fire.
June
9, 1969
A woman was killed in a fire that occurred when the woman’s car
was struck by a tractor-trailer on Route 1 on Monday, June 9, 1969.
Lawrence Road firefighters helped extinguish the blaze. The Trenton
Evening Times printed this story on Tuesday, June 10, 1969: “Charges
have been lodged by police against the driver of a truck that reportedly
rammed the back of a woman's car and killed her on the Brunswick Pike
in Lawrence Township. Mrs. Alice E. Cottrell, 62, of Cranbury was pronounced
dead on arrival in Helene Fuld Hospital at 1:15 p.m. yesterday. The
spectacular accident took place at the traffic light in the southbound
lane opposite the state motor vehicle inspection station. Gasoline that
evidently leaked from Mrs. Cottrell’s car set ablaze the eight
tires on the rear of the tractor-trailer. The flames burned through
its metal sides before volunteer firemen put out the blaze. The body
of Cottrell was shielded from the flames. Witnesses told police Cottrell
had stopped for a red light when her car was hit by the truck and propelled
nearly 100 feet down the road. The car slammed into a floodlight pole
in front of the gasoline station as the truck ripped past it and tore
open the sedan. The tractor-trailer ran down into a gully. The driver
suffered a minor leg injury. Patrolman Thomas Buxton charged him with
causing Cottrell's death.”
September
22, 1969
During the meeting held on Monday, September 22, 1969, “Vince Terranova
read a proposed amendment to our constitution limiting the length of
the chief’s and assistant chiefs’ office to six consecutive
years.”
October
15, 1969
On Wednesday, October 15, 1969, Lawrence Road firefighters responded
into Ewing Township and were called into the scene of a fire on the
campus of Trenton State College. The Trenton Evening Times published
the following account on Thursday, October 16, 1969:
“Fire
officials are seeking a cause today of the fire that last night destroyed
The Hub, student union building at Trenton State College. Mercer County
Fire marshal John Dempster and college officials today will sift through
the debris of the one-story wood and masonry Hillwood Union Building
that contained a snack bar, student lounge, game room and student activities
offices. The first alarm was turned in at 10:24 p.m. and seven fire
companies battled the blaze for an hour before bringing it under control.
The fire was declared out at 2 a.m. Dense smoke poured from the doomed
building as firemen poured water on the leaping flames from aerial ladders.
Broken gas pipes in the snack bar added duel to the fire. The fire also
destroyed three garages adjacent to the building.
“Because
of the atmospheric conditions, the heavy smoke from the fire rolled
out over sections of Ewing Township as far as two miles away. Hundreds
of students watched as 150 firemen fought and kept flames from nearby
buildings. The crews from Prospect Heights, Pennington Road and West
Trenton fire companies of Ewing were joined by companies from Lawrence
and Hamilton townships and from Titusville. The Lawrence Township First
Aid Squad also stood by. The fire apparently started in the game room
at the west end of the building. Fire whipped through the 150-by-50-foot
building between the false ceiling and the roof, where firemen couldn’t
get at it...”
November
10, 1969
During the meeting held on Monday, November 10, 1969, “Joseph Lydon
spoke about the junior firemen and listed a few ideas. He said he would
take the responsibility for the kids but would run the organization
his way. He expressed the desire to start with about 12 kids. They would
have their own officers and by-laws, raise their own money, buy their
own gear and uniforms, go to no fires, discipline their own members.
Robert Hazen expressed his ideas and said he disagreed with Joe on a
few points. He said they should belong to our organization and not have
their own. They shouldn’t have to buy their own uniforms and, since
they do not have to fight fires, they won’t need fire gear. Both
men said the fire company should have the final say as far as discipline
goes. Donald Baker also expressed his ideas in favor of not letting
the juniors have their own organization. Joe said the company should
give him a year to see how things turn out. There was a discussion as
to whether the juniors should have their own drills. Donald Cermele
was in favor of the juniors having their own officers and organization
with overall control by the fire company. A motion was passed whereas
Joseph Lydon be empowered to set up the junior firemen organization
and to operate same according to our constitution. Joe said a report
of progress will be given at every meeting…”
November
13, 1969
On Thursday, November 13, 1969, the Lawrence Road Fire Co. sent manpower
and apparatus to cover the Princeton Fire Department. At the time, Princeton
firefighters were busy in Montgomery Township battling a major fire
that started after a single-engine plane ran out of gas while trying
to land at Princeton Airport and crashed into a nearby two-story office
building. Millions of dollars worth of damage were caused, but the pilot
and all the workers in the building escaped lived. The crash occurred
at 2:15 p.m.
November
19, 1969
A 5-year-old girl died in a fire that swept through a building in the
Pine Tree Cottages complex on Wednesday, November 19, 1969. The Trenton
Evening Times published this report on Thursday, November 20, 1969:
“Wax
being melted to make Christmas candles caught fire yesterday, igniting
a motel-cottage inferno that killed Tracey Reed, 5, and seriously burned
her brother, William, 7. Fred Reed, 36, no relation, was burned rescuing
the boy. They were in satisfactory condition today at Helene Fuld Hospital.
Reed, maintenance man at Pine Tree Cottages on Route 1 in Lawrence Township,
said he was melting paraffin bars for the children’s candles in
Cottage 53. He left the wax on the burner untended and the children
inside when a neighbor called for help in changing a flat tire, according
to Mercer County Fire Marshal John Dempster. ‘The wax overheated
and set the place on fire,’ Dempster said. Samuel Hatcher, of Cottage
50, said when he and Reed noticed smoke, the two-story wood-frame cottage
was aflame.
“Mrs.
Hatcher called in an alarm at 2:28 p.m. The complex of rent-by-the-week
cottages fronts on Route 1, across the highway just north of Bakers
Basin Inspection Station. Reed was burned when he dragged William from
the ground floor to safety. Hatcher, who stood on Reed’s shoulders,
could not reach Tracey at the second-story front window. Capt. Alex
Abbott, a New Jersey State Prison guard who had seen the flames while
driving by on Route 1, and the pair tried a ladder without success.
Tracey’s body was found by Edward Domanoski of Kendall Park, another
passerby who had donned a borrowed coat to go in for her. He and Lawrenceville
Fire Capt. Edward Doan were treated for smoke inhalation. The ceiling
had caved in, Domanoski said, throwing her near the doorway, directly
below the one front window. ‘She could have jumped,’ Domanoski
said. ‘She was close enough to that window.’ Mrs. Janet Reed,
27, was shopping when the fire started. She and her husband, William,
are separated. Only yesterday morning, she had gotten out of a cast
for a broken leg.
“About
40 firemen battled in 20 mph winds for almost an hour to subdue the
blaze. Firefighting started, then stopped shortly after the first four
trucks from the Lawrenceville Fire Co. spewed their entire 2,600 gallons
in three minutes. ‘We went for broke,’ said Lawrenceville
Fire Chief William Eggert. In the next dry moments, other firemen raced
along Route 1, laying 4,000 feet of hose to the nearest source –
the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Pumping then resumed. Other men were
from the Lawrence Road, Slackwood, Princeton Junction and West Windsor
fire companies. Trenton-bound traffic piled up for three-hours, single
filing past the 12 fire trucks and the hose in the second lane. The
fire destroyed the caretaker's unit and charred the nearest section
of the heating room next door...”
December
8, 1969
During the meeting held on Monday, December 8, 1969, “Matthew Terranova
was voted into membership as the first junior member.”
December
27, 1969
A spectacular fire broke out in the Park Lane furniture store in Ewing
Township on the night of Saturday, December 27, 1969, and Lawrence Road
firefighters were called in to help battle the inferno. The Trenton
Sunday Times Advertiser published this account on December 28, 1969:
“The
Park Lane furniture store on Olden Avenue near Prospect Street in Ewing
Township was destroyed by fire last night. A nearby warehouse owned
by the same firm was badly damaged, but firemen saved the Doolittle-Allen
furniture store on one side of the destroyed building and the Dunkin’
Donuts shop on the other side. Some 150 firemen from 10 volunteer fire
companies and three city units battled the flames in 20-degree temperatures
and 25 mph winds for more than an hour and a half. The fire, reported
at 7:35 p.m., apparently started in the showroom of the mammoth store.
At 8 p.m., the smoldering blaze suddenly erupted out into roaring flames
and broke through the roof. The fire spread along a false ceiling to
a two-story section of the building and was soon out of control. The
wooden facade on the front of the building collapsed.
“Attempts
by firemen to climb the front walls of the building or to enter through
the front entrance were beaten back by intense smoke and heat. The flames
could be seen for miles away. Sparks from the fire shot 100 feet into
the air. The entire area was ice-covered and firemen slipped and fell
frequently as they dragged hose along the slippery surface. The firemen
had difficulty in getting adequate water pressure at times. While firemen
were able to save the Doolittle-Allen building, they could do little
for the two-story cinder block warehouse attached to the Park Lane store.
The windowless building was filled with furniture packed in cardboard
crates and the fire spread quickly through the building's contents.
“The
Dunkin’ Donuts shop was damaged by heat but the extent of the damage
appeared to be minor. As the fire threat increased, the manager of the
shop quickly packed up the day's receipts and fled the building. By
9:40 p.m., the fire was under control. The Park Lane store was reduced
to a skeleton. The heat of the fire was so intense that some of the
building’s metal framework actually melted. Two firemen, Dan Bartram
of Hamilton Fire Co. and Fred Klawitter of Pennington Road Fire Co.,
were treated for minor injuries at Mercer Hospital and released. Chief
Joseph Lenarski of the Prospect Heights Fire Co. was unable to determine
immediately what caused the fire but he said it started in the showroom
area.”
The
following letter, dated Wednesday, December 31, 1969, was received from
Joseph S. Lenarski, chief of the Prospect Heights Fire Co.: “Fellow
Firemen – At this time I would like to take the opportunity to
thank your organization for assistance given to Prospect Heights Fire
Co. on Saturday, December 27, 1969, at the Park Lane furniture store
fire. Your fast response and professional way everyone worked together
only shows that the mutual aid system of Mercer County is the finest
in the country. Once again, wonderful cooperation and true dedication
under very trying conditions showed what an outstanding job all hands
performed at the fire. I wish you and your families a very happy New
Year. Thanks for a job well done.”
1970
Incident
reports for 1970 have been lost, but a typed sheet included with the
company minutes indicated that Lawrence Road firefighters responded
to 106 emergency calls during 1970, including five runs to Ewing Township.
Of the 101 emergencies answered in Lawrence Township, 26 involved dwellings,
23 brush, 17 schools, 15 businesses, 11 vehicles, and nine miscellaneous.
Of the 101, a total of 26 were false alarms. During the year, Lawrence
Road crews used 1,550 feet of 2.5-inch hose and 2,200 feet of 1.5-inch
hose.
March
10, 1970
On Tuesday, March 10, 1970, Lawrence Road firefighters helped Lawrenceville
firefighters extinguish a small structure fire. The Trenton Evening
Times published this brief report in that night’s newspaper: “A
blaze started by an unpredictable smudge pot destroyed a utility shack
and contents at a landscape nursery on Cold Soil Road in Lawrence Township
today. Lawnmowers, tillers and other equipment valued at between $3,000
and $4,000 were lost in the shack on the 4.5-acrea Doerler Landscapes
property.”
March
23, 1970
On Monday, March 23, 1970, the Lawrence Road Fire Co. was sent to assist
Slackwood firefighters in battling a fire on Princeton Avenue. According
to a report filed with the township by the fire company, Firefighter
Leo Lydon was injured at the blaze. The nature of the injury, however,
is not recorded on the existing documents. The Trenton Evening Times
published this report on Tuesday, March 24, 1970: “The cause of
a fire that did heavy damage to the shop of the Trenton Stove and Repair
Co. Inc. and two offices above it at 1737 Princeton Avenue last night
has not been determined. Losses have been unofficially estimated in
thousands of dollars. Chief Rudolph Fuessel and other Slackwood and
Lawrence Road volunteers were dispatched at 10 o'clock to fight the
blaze in the L-shaped, two-story cinder block building owned by Samuel
Strano. Water and smoke also damaged the second floor officers of Martin
Moss Realty and Glen Delvay Personnel Services Inc. John Dempster, Mercer
County fire marshal, and Chief Fuessel are continuing the investigation.”
May
11, 1970
During the early hours of Monday, May 11, 1970, Lawrence Road firefighters
were mobilized after a blaze broke out in a six-room prefab building
on the campus of Trenton State College. The fire was reported at 4:20
a.m. and, according to a story published in that night’s edition
of the Trenton Evening Times, firefighters from Lawrence Township and
Titusville were called in to the scene by Pennington Road Chief Roger
Bloom. “The fire burned through the roof of the one-story building
amidst a dense cloud of smoke. Although the blaze was under control
within a half-hour, firemen were on the scene for several hours,”
the newspaper reported.
October
12, 1970
During the meeting held on Monday, October 12, 1970, it was reported
that “the old Engine 221 (1951 Maxim) has finally been sold after
almost two years. It was sold to the Martinsville Fire Co. near Somerville.
The chief said we should trade in our old trucks in the future.”
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