Engine 28 was organized as a temporary company on the grounds of the World Exposition in Fairmount Park during the centennial celebration of July 1876. With only two engine companies west of the Schuylkill River, Engines 5 and 16, the department wanted to provide additional resources to protect the buildings and large crowds expected to attend the event. When the exposition ended, Engine 28 was discontinued.
On April 1, 1878 Engine 28 was reorganized at 3068 Belgrade in the Port Richmond section of the city. The original company roster was as follows:
Foreman William Knight
Engineer Charles Giberson
Driver William Hasson
Fireman William Hewit
Hoseman Thomas Hanna
Hoseman Adam Carnwell
Hoseman Nicholas Painter
Hoseman Henry Gross
Hoseman Lawrence Hoover
Hoseman Frank Bryant
Hoseman Patrick Kilday
Hoseman John Lukens
Mrs. Van Sciver was the company’s matron.
During 1909 the firehouse was renovated. Engine 28 would remain on Belgrade Street for nearly one hundred years. On February 21, 1978 the company moved into a new firehouse, their current location, at 2520 E Ontario Street.
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Additional information can be found on our post for Engine 15, see comments at the bottom of the page.
On January 23, 1960 around 5pm, my father, brother, and I were driving north on Richmond St. thru Port Richmond when over my Hallicrafters tuneable high-band radio, we heard Box 83, Richmond & Allegheny, being dispatched. Being only a few blocks away, when we reached the intersection, we turned onto Allegheny Ave., and seeing heavy fire and smoke about a block towards the Delaware River, we immediately parked. Not quite a minute later, Engine 28’s, 1947 Ford AFE Hose Wagon coming down Allegheny took a wrap on the corner high-pressure hydrant and quickly laid its 3.5 inch hose on the fly to the front of the fire building. It was the Friedman Basket Co., at 2864 E. Allegheny Ave., a one story frame building fully involved and spreading to nearby buildings. So, a second alarm was struck. But Engine 28 and other 1st alarm companies made a fast knock down and it was a relatively short time period before the fire was placed under control However, I was much chagrined with my brother who had no interest in fires or firefighting, and evidently oblivious to an unusual event unfolding around him, because he stayed in the car the whole time listening to the most popular rock radio station at the time, WIBG. Additional information can be found on our post for Engine 6, see comments at the bottom of the page.