Summer Cottage Destroyed

On July 19, 1930 at 2:15 p.m. firemen responded to a summer cottage fire owned by Dr. Ezra Lehman in the area of MaClay’s Mill. When firemen arrived the cottage was well involved and brush and leaves were burning and rapidly extending towards other cottages. Firemen were able to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other buildings. The cottage was a total loss with damages estimated at $850. The origin of the fire was undetermined but it was believed to be intentionally set. The Cumberland Valley Hose Company responded to the incident.

Firemen Save Barn In Culbertson

On July 18, 1949 around 5 a.m. firemen were sent to the John Meyers farm, one half mile north of Culbertson in Greene Township fire a barn fire. A new haymow in the barn was burning when firemen arrived. With the help of many neighbors and farmers firemen from three companies manning eight pieces of fire apparatus worked for five hours emptying 10 tons of smoldering hay. The barn suffered slight damage. The Vigilant Hose, Letterkenny and Franklin fire companies answered the alarm.

West End Company Plans Its Firehouse

The following article is reprinted in its entirety from the Tuesday July 17, 1956 edition of The New Chronicle.

West End Company Plans Its Firehouse

Firemen Will Donate Labor For Construction

Shippensburg West End Fire and Rescue company members plan to do most of their own construction work in building a firehouse near the corner of Reading Rd. and Westover Avenue, according to what members told the Shippensburg borough council recently.

They will have the labor donations of some professional bricklayers however. Plans call for a 36 by 24 foot one story building, which will be largely built of cement block.

It is hoped the structure will be up by next fall. The borough council has indicated approval for use of the lot by the firemen. Formal approval is expected once the borough has the deed to the land in hand. It accepted an offer of the lot recently.

The building will house a 24 by 24 foot engine room and a meeting chamber. It will have an eight-inch concrete floor. There will be no basement.

Firemen plan to build in the center of the lot so that expansion will be possible in any direction later. A company siren has been on this lot for about six months.

The company which started from scratch nine months ago now has some 50 members and a radio equipped rescue truck.

The building was never built.

Woman Killed When Dress Catches Fire

On July 16, 1938 in the morning hours, Mrs. Nancy Taylor, 53 of Norwood suffered fatal burns when her clothing was ignited while she was tenting a bon fire. Mrs. Taylor was visiting relatives in Orrstown when the incident occurred. Dr. Thomas White, Orrstown physician tore the burning clothing from the woman. She suffered severe burns about the face and head and less severe burns over most of her body. A call was made to Shippensburg for an ambulance but the caller asked for a fire engine instead. The Vigilant Hose Company responded but were held up before reaching the scene. A Chambersburg ambulance transported Mrs. Taylor to Chambersburg Hospital where she died later that day.

Fry Barn Burns

On July 15, 1950 in the afternoon hours firemen responded to a barn fire at the J. Craig Fry residence, Shippensburg R. R. 3. A fire of undetermined origin destroyed the barn and its contents. Damages were estimate at $2,500. Little was reported on the incident other than the fact that this was the first fire for the Vigilant’s new 1950 Seagrave pumper. The Vigilant Hose Company answered the alarm.

Early Morning Fire Destroys Barn

On July 14, 2007 at 5:27 a.m. Franklin County 911 alerted the 15-1 box for a barn fire at the James Witter farm, 744 Orrstown Road, Southampton Twp. Franklin County. Firefighters arrived to find the barn well involved and multiple exposures threatened by the fire. Deputy Chief 15 (Cleck) immediately requested second and third alarm tankers. About 75 firefighters from 14 companies had the blaze under control in 30 minutes and remained on the scene until noon. The barn was a total loss and two calves died in the fire. Damages were estimated at $300,000. A cause was not listed but it was believed to be electrical in nature. The West End Fire and Rescue, Vigilant Hose, Cumberland Valley Hose, Pleasant Hall, South Newton Twp., Newburg-Hopewell, Letterkenny, Franklin’s, Newville, McKinley Street station, Penn Twp., Fannett-Metal, Marion and Mont Alto fire companies answered the alarm.

Summer Kitchen Destroyed

On July 13, 1962 at 3:40 a.m. the Shippensburg Civil Defense room alerted local fire companies to a house fire at the Clyde Beam residence, Shippensburg R. D. 3 (near Orrstown). A summer kitchen and small workshop were completely destroyed but firemen were able to save the house and garage with only minor damage. The fire started around the roof in the area of the chimney. A fireplace was used earlier in the day for canning. Firemen responded with a pumper and 1,000 gallon tank truck. Water was pumped from a cistern on the property with a portable pump and the tanker was taken to a hydrant in Orrstown twice for water. A damage estimate was not available. The Vigilant Hose Company responded to the incident.

New Uniforms and Better Equipment to be Had

SHIPPENSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT

New Uniforms and Better Equipment to be Had

The following article appeared in The Shippensburg News on Friday July 12, 1907, it is typed here exactly as it appeared in the paper.

Realizing the need of more interest and enthusiasm on the part of our fire department, as well as better regulations and means of extinguishment at times of fire, the Cumberland Valley Hose Company, at a recent meeting, determined to procure new uniforms for their active members. While there may be a few who object to this, as there always are to all projects, we want to say it is one of the first steps. The active working membership of all good fire companies is largely made up of young men; not of old men at least; generally speaking such are in the way. You must have enthusiasm and interest in a fire company as well as in a Sunday school. In order to do this you must get up some attire, simply meeting once a month to heat the secretary read a dry, prosy report, or treasurer the financial statement, will not do this. You must get new young blood into the organization and do something to attract them. Get them interested in the organization. Old men are a good thing in their place. We do not believe, like Osler, they are worn out at 60 years, nut we do not think they are the kind to make active fireman. The uniform is to be a light navy blue, with silver buttons, to correspond with the new uniforms of the Vigilant Hose Company. Then if we disband, the idea is to have them organize under the name of the Shippensburg fire department and thus be able to make some showing among fire companies. If this is done our young men will become interested. When you get young men in these days, aroused and interested, they accomplish wonders. There are no obstacles they cannot surmount.

Log Home Destroyed In Hopewell Twp.

On July 11, 2002 at 1:15 p.m. firefighters Cumberland County 911 alerted firefighters to a house fire at 89 Stony Lane, Hopewell Township. When firefighter arrived the 2-½-story log home was well involved. Firefighters launched an offensive attack but because of the lack of water and rapidly extending fire a defensive attack made. Water was shuttled to the scene using a dry hydrant located about a mile away. Firefighters were unable to save anything. Nearly 50 firefighters from eight fire companies battled the blaze for over three hours. A damage estimate or cause was not listed. The Newburg-Hopewell, Vigilant Hose, Cumberland Valley Hose, West End Fire and Rescue, Pleasant Hall, South Newton Twp., Fannett-Metal and Upper Frankford Twp. fire companies answered the alarm.

Clever Farm Burns

On July 10, 1939 at 11:30 a.m. firemen were alerted to a barn fire at the Frank Clever residence on the Cleversburg Road. When firemen arrived the barn was well involved and all efforts were made to protect the exposures. A lack of water hampered firefighting operations as the only water available was in the two pumpers and cistern. Water was brought in from nearby farms in milk cans. Lost in the blaze were 10 tons of alfalfa, the wheat crop, a wagon, binder and some farm machinery. A cause and damage estimate was not available. The Vigilant Hose Company answered the alarm.