Hoseman Fred L. Van Camp

Last Alarm July 8,1946

Ernest Navarro pulled his city garbage truck into the North Fourth Avenue fire station, located at 1110 East Drachman Street, on the morning of July 8, 1946, because of paper and rags burning under the bed. Hoseman Van Camp and other firemen responded to Navarro’s call for assistance and extinguished the fire. The bed of the dump truck had been raised so that firemen could train a stream of water on the flames. According to witnesses, Navarro climbed back into the cab of the truck and released the bed back its normal place. At about the same time, it was said Van Camp peered under the bed for a final examination and the bed crushed his head against the chassis, killing him instantly.

Hoseman Van Camp had been a member of the department for 8 years and was survived by his wife and five sons.