Engine 30 was organized at 3546 Germantown Avenue on August 1, 1884. The company was composed of the following members:
Foreman John Leithead
Engineer William Hannold
Driver George Rau
Fireman Stephen Rowan
Hoseman Oscar Malloch
Hoseman Jacob Rudy
Hoseman George H. Clayton
Hoseman James Ridgway
Hoseman Morris Shaffer
Hoseman Joseph Till
Hoseman Henry Pelstring
Hoseman John McEntee
The first box run for Engine 30 was on September 3, 1884 to Box 427. The address of fire was the southeast corner of Mascher and Ontario Streets, a three-story frame dwelling. There was extension to six 3 story frame dwellings on Mascher, below Ontario Street. Companies responding to the fire were Engines 23, 25, 28, and 30 along with Truck C.
During Engine 30’s first full year of operation, 1885, the company responded to a total of forty-four alarms – forty boxes and four locals.
Assistant Engineer 8 was organized in Engine 30’s quarters during 1887.
In 1895 the city purchased the building for $11,000.00, saving the city $900.00 per year in rent for the property. In late 1899, Engine 30 was moved to temporary quarters located in an alley off Tioga Street, west of Germantown Avenue while their old station was razed and a new structure built. The members were housed in a dwelling which fronted onto Tioga Street. The apparatus and horses were kept in two separate sheds in the alley. These accommodations were not very efficient. The conditions were brought to light in an article appearing in the Philadelphia Evening Telegraph dated July 21, 1900. The reporter stated “This is the house furnished by a generous but dense Committee on City Property. There is probably no town upon the map that boasts even of a most antiquated fire apparatus that has not a better structure in which to keep it from the ravages of the elements”.
Late in 1900, Engine 30 moved into their new station, with the address of 3546 Germantown Avenue. On April 1, 1956 Engine 30 was disbanded while a new station was built. They were reactivated in the new station on May 22, 1957. Engine 30 was disbanded once again on June 18, 1988. Albert J. Anderson was the last Captain.
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Hi I am trying to find information on my grandfather. Thomas Campbell. I know he was a firefighter and I thought he may have been a chief. I am not sure what station he was at but my best guess would be engine30. Is there any archives where I could try and locate his name?
Thanks for your comment. You might be interested in a service we offer. We can help find information about firefighters who worked for the Philadelphia Fire Department. We will be glad to research the files and find the information you need. You can purchase the research through the museum store. Here’s a link – https://firemanshallstore.com/-Philadelphia-Fire-Department-Research-_c_24.html
It was December 4, 1970, a cold and very windy night with winds out of the north at 20 to 25 mph. At 6:38 pm, Engine 30, Ladder 18 from 22nd & Hunting Park, and Battalion 8 were dispatched on a local alarm to a fire in a lumber yard at 13th & Pike Sts. about 3 blocks from Engine 30’s station. As Battalion 8, Chief Cronin, pulled out of the station onto Germantown Ave. the smoke was so heavy on the Ave. that he requested that a box alarm be struck out on the local. A couple of minutes later after arriving on location, the chief radioed, ” I don’t know what we have yet, but with the very heavy smoke condition, strike out the 2nd alarm”. The fire at Philadelphia Lumber and Millwork Co. located on the northeast corner of 13th & Pike Sts. went for 7 alarms. As the heavy fire broke thru the south wall of the lumber co. building it incinerated Engine 59 hooked up to a hydrant on the southeast corner of 13th & Pike Sts. and went on to destroy or heavily damage 17 dwellings on the 3800 blocks of N. 13th and N. Camac Sts. before it was stopped and placed under control at 8:54 pm.
Additional information for Battalion 8 can be found on our post for Engine 50, see comments at the bottom of the page. https://www.firemanshallmuseum.org/engine-50-truck-12/