Shortly after noon on July 5, the fire tones sounded for a dwelling fire in the 2800 block of Pleasant Street in East Camden. Dispatchers reported they were receiving numerous calls for a working house fire.
Firefighters arrived to find a vacant two-story house fully engulfed.
The battalion chief announces it's a working fire. An extra engine company, a battalion chief and the tour commander also respond. Due to the condition of this vacant vandalized dwelling, no interior attack was made.
All went into a defensive mode. The crew of Ladder 3 was able to swing the bucket through the tree limbs of the high trees that were surrounding the dwelling. Firefighters had three hand lines working when they heard a loud bang. It was the chimney falling. Luckily, no firefighters were hurt.
A few moments later, the front porch collapsed. Camden EMS personnel were on the scene.