FOUR-ALARM FIRE HEAVILY DAMAGES NAVAL PIER

April 8, 1955

It was a warm, but extremely windy day when workmen began the task of repairing fender pilings on Naval Pier #27, which jutted out into Newark Channel about 1,500 feet. Winds were off-shore and steady at 35 miles per hour, with gusts of up to 50. The 4,000-foot-long pier, which was owned by the U.S. Navy, was leased to the Port Authority, who then sub-leased it to Lipsett Steel Products Co., of Brooklyn, NY. In addition to three work barges and a scow loaded with lumber being used by repair crews, several other barges were tied up at the pier, with the African freighter “Cambridge” being tied up at the water end.

A fire was soon discovered in the middle area of the pier, and longshoremen, and the crew of the Cambridge, attempted to fight the blaze using the pier’s hose system to no avail, due to lack of pressure. After 15 minutes of an unsuccessful attempt to extinguish the blaze, an alarm was called in to the fire department. At 13:59 hours, Box 5774 was struck, bringing Newark’s Bravest to the scene. Upon arriving at the scene, Captain Clinton L. Parmalee, of Engine 32, ordered a second alarm at 02:02 hours.

Just as firefighters arrived and began making long hose stretches to reach the fire, the pressure on the pier fire hose system improved when the pressure was boosted at a nearby power station. The fire, however, had rapidly spread along the sub-structure and to the barges that were tied up along its length. Soon after the second alarm was struck, Deputy Chief Frank J. Hilliard, and Battalion Chiefs Daniel Shanahan and Peter B. Kelly arrived at the scene. They immediately ordered four master streams and several hand lines to work on the main body of the fire. Apparatus was driven out onto the pier so that deck guns could be put to work on the growing blaze. Acting Chief Engineer John M. Ruscheck, who responded on the second alarm, then arrived on the scene and assumed command.

Firefighters attempt to save hose lines as fire rapidly sweeps past their position. Engine 10's hose wagon
is enveloped in smoke at the center of the photo, and is not visible.
Hank Przybylowicz Collection

Only a few minutes after firefighters had placed the first hand line into operation, Captain Parmalee and Firefighter Eugene Reilly, both of Engine 32, were operating the line on a pile driver, when the fire hungrily ate through the base and control cables of the unit, bringing the superstructure crashing down onto the pier. The two men saw the boom coming down and jumped in different directions, barely escaping with their lives. Parmalee’s helmet was crushed under the fallen steel boom, which crashed through the four-inch planking of the pier. After about an attack of 20 minutes, it looked as if firefighters had the fire under control, Chief Hilliard and Firefighter James Carr dropped down onto one of the burning work barges to look for a better vantage point from which to attack the stubborn fire remaining in the sub-structure. Chief Hilliard ordered two lines onto the barge - one to be used on the burning barge, and the other to attack the fire under the pier.

As they were waiting for the two lines to be stretched, the wind suddenly shifted to on-shore, sending 30 to 50 mile per hour gusts blasting at the fire. Fanned by the strong winds, the fire suddenly renewed its fury. The fire traveled at unbelievable speed, racing past the operating apparatus and firefighters. All firefighting was halted and all efforts were redirected into saving pumpers, hose wagons, and the thousands of feet of hose that had been stretched onto the pier. Firefighters, aided by longshoremen, pulled back, attempting to drag the heavy hose lines with them. Most of the equipment was moved to safely, but unfortunately, Engine 10’s 1943 Ford/American-LaFrance hose wagon hose wagon could not be moved and was swept over by the flames, which caused its gas tank to explode. Also lost to the flames were numerous pieces of small equipment and nearly 3,000 feet of 2-1/2-inch hose.

Another aerial view of fire area. The smoldering remains of Wagon 10 can be seen at right center. The
burning barge where the chief and firefighter were trapped can be seen at upper center.
Hank Przybylowicz Collection

Meanwhile, a large wall of fire cut off the escape route of the two men on the barge. Fortunately for them, the fireboat “Duffy” was nearby and was able to rescue them from the barge just as a sheet of flames swept over it, thereby saving their lives. By the time Newark’s Bravest was able to regroup, the fire had traveled more than 100 feet.

This view shows how far along the pier the fire raced. The burnt-out remains of Wagon 10 can be seen
at lower left. The crane that fell over in the early stages of the fire is visible in the center of the photo.
Also note the burned lengths of hose.
Hank Przybylowicz Collection

At 14:32 hours, the third and fourth alarms were transmitted, with orders to have the Newark fireboat “Brennan” respond to the scene. A request was also was made to the FDNY for one of their fireboats. Before these boats arrived, however, the Coast Guard arrived at the scene with three small fireboats. They immediately went to work on the barges and burning sub-structure of the pier. One of them also towed one of the burning barges out onto the flats of Newark Bay, and let it sink there. Two Moran Co. tugboats also arrived, and began to operate 1-1/2-inch handlines on top of the pier. When the FDNY fireboat “Hewitt” arrived at about 15:30 hours, the fire was pretty much under control, and their services were not required. The “Cambridge” escaped damage after being towed to safety in Newark Bay. Firefighter Victor A. Lardiere, 37, of Engine 3, and Firefighter Edwin R. Tiplady, 32, of Truck 1, were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

It took firefighters three hours to bring the hot, smoky blaze under control. A fire watch of eight men was kept on the scene until the next afternoon. The three barges had sunk, and 300 feet of the pier were destroyed, at a loss of over $300,000. More than 40 units operated at the scene, including the small armada of firefighting vessels. A total of thirty 2-1/2-inch lines, and ten 1-1/2-inch lines, were used to combat the fire, resulting in nearly 16,000 feet of hose being stretched.

The burnt-out remains of Wagon 10.
Hank Przybylowicz Collection

While the exact cause of the blaze was never determined, it was felt that it may have been caused by the two coal-fired, upright steam boilers on one of the barges. Rear Admiral R.T. Cowdrey, U.S. Navy, Commander of the New York Naval Shipyard, wrote to Mayor Leo P. Carlin and, “expressed deep appreciation and high regard for the worthy performance and cooperation on the part of the Newark Fire Department.”