THE GREAT POTATO CHIP BUILDING FIRE
No history of the Campbelltown Fire Department would be complete without a re-cap of a fire they fought and the fine cooperation they received from their neighboring firemen. It was the Ira Basehore Potato Chip Plant in town early Tuesday morning about 3:00 A.M., July 25, 2020. After the alarm sounded the firemen lost no time in getting water on the fire, especially on A. C. Spangler's home which was already on fire when the men arrived. Campbelltown made their connections on Locust Street, and the engineer, soon had the Hahn pumping a steady stream of water as the hose men handled their job very efficiently. It seemed only a few minutes until another siren was heard as Palmyra with its Hahn equipment and fire fighters rushed to the scene.
Palmyra made their plug connections near the Bank on Main Street. Palmyra, with machine like precision, had their hose laid and water on the fire in a short time. Chief Fire Marshall, Abram Stauffer was also on hand, but the nearby homeowners were taking no chances and soon Hershey with its equipment and the Chocolate town fire fighters arrived on the scene. Hershey made their plug connections near Brandt's Hardware, running their main line past Dissinger's Store up Locust Street and using a two-way for a double hose line in Basehore's alley.
When three engines were pumping from the water system there was a certain irregularity in the pressure. A hurried conference of the Chief, Elvin 0 Miller and the engineers and then the pumpers were set so that all had a certain amount of water. By this time a few persons were worried that the supply of water in the reservoir would not be sufficient. A checkup showed that after a few hours pumping it had lowered about one third, using more than 35,000 gallons. A report of this kind would not be complete if it did not pay a separate compliment to each individual volunteer fireman that helped and saved numerous dwellings; although the plant itself was destroyed. There are nicer things to do than get out of bed at 3:00 o'clock in the morning to help fight a fire.
To end this summary without paying a tribute to the men who had the courage and foresight to organize the Campbelltown Water Company and Fire Company would be doing them an injustice. This type of a fire is what they wanted to guard against, and how right they were, for what could have prevented the burning down of the Bakery and adjacent homes if it had not been for a sufficient supply of water and good fire equipment.
Palmyra made their plug connections near the Bank on Main Street. Palmyra, with machine like precision, had their hose laid and water on the fire in a short time. Chief Fire Marshall, Abram Stauffer was also on hand, but the nearby homeowners were taking no chances and soon Hershey with its equipment and the Chocolate town fire fighters arrived on the scene. Hershey made their plug connections near Brandt's Hardware, running their main line past Dissinger's Store up Locust Street and using a two-way for a double hose line in Basehore's alley.
When three engines were pumping from the water system there was a certain irregularity in the pressure. A hurried conference of the Chief, Elvin 0 Miller and the engineers and then the pumpers were set so that all had a certain amount of water. By this time a few persons were worried that the supply of water in the reservoir would not be sufficient. A checkup showed that after a few hours pumping it had lowered about one third, using more than 35,000 gallons. A report of this kind would not be complete if it did not pay a separate compliment to each individual volunteer fireman that helped and saved numerous dwellings; although the plant itself was destroyed. There are nicer things to do than get out of bed at 3:00 o'clock in the morning to help fight a fire.
To end this summary without paying a tribute to the men who had the courage and foresight to organize the Campbelltown Water Company and Fire Company would be doing them an injustice. This type of a fire is what they wanted to guard against, and how right they were, for what could have prevented the burning down of the Bakery and adjacent homes if it had not been for a sufficient supply of water and good fire equipment.