Engine 50/Truck 12

Engine 50 and Truck 12 were organized on May 6, 1901 at 1325 W. Cambria Street. Both companies continue to respond from this house. It is the second oldest firehouse in Philadelphia still in operation. This station also has a swimming pool in the basement. The building has been renovated several times over years. These renovations included the removal of the third floor and mansard roof in 1950.

On April 24, 1984 Rescue 22 moved to Engine 50’s house from Engine 45. Battalion 8 moved in on July 6, 1988.

Three units continue to call this location home, but on November 23, 2019, Battalion 8 moved to Engine 59’s station at 22nd & Hunting Park Avenue.

About the Author: Jack Wright

Jack Wright (April 11, 1963-April 6, 2021) was a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, PA. As a child he was fascinated with fire engines in general and those of the Philadelphia Fire Department in particular. He chased them his entire life. From his early days of grammar school, he watched Engine 53 and Ladder 27 responding to alarms in his South Philadelphia neighborhood. Those scenes made an indelible impression on him. It was at that time that he began collecting photographs relating to the Philadelphia Fire Department. With his interest in the Philadelphia Fire Department and its history, it was only natural that he found himself at the Fireman’s Hall Museum. In May of 1988 he began working as a museum volunteer. While working there he became involved in researching the department’s history, as well as documenting it. Some of his research has been used by the Philadelphia Fire Department to evaluate their operations and procedures and make changes where necessary. On October 14, 2007 Jack was named the official Philadelphia Fire Department Historian by Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers. Jack served on the Board of Directors of Fireman’s Hall. He also was a contributing editor for Fire Apparatus Journal. Jack co-authored Hike Out, the only written history of the Philadelphia Fire department ever published. In addition, he published Philadelphia Fire Apparatus Volume 4. He wrote a number of articles relating to the department’s history that have been published in various magazines and newsletters and posts a history blog on the internet. Jack provided presentations to various historical societies in the Philadelphia area regarding the Philadelphia Fire Department.

One Comment

Wayne Press June 29, 2021 at 1:49 am - Reply

On 11/15/1969 at 5:16pm, the Fire Alarm Room received signals from Box 691 at 11th & Cambria Sts.. During these years, boxes with a history of false alarms, as was Box 691, were dispatched as a “special assignment” . A special assignment consisted of an engine and ladder, in this case, Engine 50 & Ladder 12 which were dispatched rather than the full box assignment. However, when Engine 50 arrived at the box at 5:18pm, he found heavy fire in a 1 story building, the former American Cardboard Co. on the N.W. cor. of 11th & Cambria and asked that the box be struck out bringing 3 more engines, a ladder and 2 battalion chiefs. Soon after the 1st-in battalion chief, Battalion 8, arrived his aide requested the 2nd alarm at 5:23pm. At 5:29pm, Battalion 8’s aide placed the fire under control and requested that the dispatcher return all 2nd alarm companies as they had not yet gotten into service- a very unusual event. After the fire, when Battalion 8 got back into his station we received an explanation of this rare occurrence. After arrival and quick size-up of the fire, the Chief held up 2 fingers for his aide in the chief’s car to see. The aide interpreted that as requesting the 2nd alarm. But the Chief thought he was requesting that all engines on the first alarm lead off with 2.5-inch hose lines!