Second Alarm Fire in Elizabeth,NJ firehouse

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Fire breaks out in New Jersey firehouse

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Eyewitness News

ELIZABETH, N.J. (WABC) -- A fire broke out early Sunday morning in, of all places, a firehouse in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Authorities say a fire truck inside Engine 6 on Catherine Street caught fire at about 2 a.m.

The blaze then spread from the apparatus to the firehouse and quarters.

Read more and photo of the destroyed engine: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_jersey&id=8936497

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Read more and photo of the destroyed engine: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_jersey&id=8936497

Went through this many years ago. Stopped at my fathers house for breakfast, on the way into work for 9x6 tour. He said-"hey, your firehouse is on 43st.,right? I think it has been destroyed by a huge fire!" I hoped (selfishly) that it was the other company,Engine 65, also on 43 st., not Rescue 1. No, it was my firehouse- the 6-story (heavy timber) piano factory burned (arson) and collapsed onto our 3-story quarters.

We spent 2 weeks digging through the pancake collapse, getting to our lockers and finding old photos and memorabila (sp?). One of the guys had many large coffee cans filled with quarters, and another had all the masts and sails and gear for his sailboat in the cellar, in addition to his three boys band equipment. (He told his boys that they could rehearse in the firehouse basement, as long as the Captain wasn't working). Well one day the Captain made a last minute mutual, and ending up working during a "rehearsal". Needless to say, he wasn't happy when he heard a huge racket going on in quarters!

Anyway, we had to relocate for several years to E34/L21 on 38st. unil a new quarters was rebuilt on the site. Of course the wrought-iron circular staircase and the old kitchen and the wainscoting-all gone in the new "modern" station. Losing your firehouse to a fire is very painful even if it was an accident.

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Went through this many years ago. Stopped at my fathers house for breakfast, on the way into work for 9x6 tour. He said-"hey, your firehouse is on 43st.,right? I think it has been destroyed by a huge fire!" I hoped (selfishly) that it was the other company,Engine 65, also on 43 st., not Rescue 1. No, it was my firehouse- the 6-story (heavy timber) piano factory burned (arson) and collapsed onto our 3-story quarters.

We spent 2 weeks digging through the pancake collapse, getting to our lockers and finding old photos and memorabila (sp?). One of the guys had many large coffee cans filled with quarters, and another had all the masts and sails and gear for his sailboat in the cellar, in addition to his three boys band equipment. (He told his boys that they could rehearse in the firehouse basement, as long as the Captain wasn't working). Well one day the Captain made a last minute mutual, and ending up working during a "rehearsal". Needless to say, he wasn't happy when he heard a huge racket going on in quarters!

Anyway, we had to relocate for several years to E34/L21 on 38st. unil a new quarters was rebuilt on the site. Of course the wrought-iron circular staircase and the old kitchen and the wainscoting-all gone in the new "modern" station. Losing your firehouse to a fire is very painful even if it was an accident.

I "liked" this post, Sir, not for the destruction and loss, but for the story....in my opinion, one of the many romances in the fire service is listening to stories told by guys...especially guys who have legitimatly "been there, done that"...and just like the wrought iron and wainscoating, true stories, are "getting gone" in the modern day fire service.

Thanks for sharing...I could listen all day.

[R1SmokeEater 359]

Bmx vid:

Usually the video embeds, not sure why it won't....

Edited December 31, 2012 by R1SmokeEater

[R1SmokeEater 359]

Link above.....

Edited December 31, 2012 by R1SmokeEater

[JM15 386]

.....did that work?

Dont think so

[IzzyEng4 427]

Bmx vid:

Usually the video embeds, not sure why it won't....

You have the "mobile" site link that is why it didn't embed. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesnt from a mobile device. I have the same problems from time to time. Good video though!