Bound Brook had it share of Big Fires back in the day that I felt I would start a thread on the subject. I can remember quite a few. Spoken on another thread (Kurtz Cigar Store) here in the Yesterdays Bound Brook As You Remember Section the large fire that struck the old Kurtz, Wrights Hardware and the Annex was mentioned. Don't know how many on this forum even remember that. Other fires I remember was the big one at Klompus 5 and dime on the corner of Main and Hamilton Street. Loree's Drug Store another big one. The Nu-tex building on Main Street near the corner of Drake Street where Rick's Cycle Center was built upon.
Lets hear of what you remember.
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One fire that brings a funny story back, was one at the Codrington Apartments. This was at the Tea St entrance across from the Ball field and fire house.. One of the fire fighters ( I won't mention any names.. he was about my Dads age ) when running into the apartment cause they thought someone was inside, as he was running in he was yelling " I'll go in.. I was at BATAAN!! I was at BATAAN" ( refering to second world war battle ) .. When he didn't come right back out two of his fellow fire fighters had to go in and they carried him out.. He must have passed out .. Smoke inhalation?? After giving him O2 and he was OK all of his fellow fire fighters were yelling " I was at BATAAN" ... I can remember hearing it yelled out at the Firemans Carnival years later and any fireman that heard it would crack up laughing..
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Avatar picture is my 1987 Buick Grand National pictured here in 2006 when I won the Tubro Street Modified Class at the Buick GS Nationals in Bowling Green KY. Car has run 9.64 at 140.11 mph.. Imagine this car sitting in Burger Chef on a Saturday night...
THE OLD KOLUMPUS 5 & DIME,,,,,,,,THAT ONE WAS A BIGGIE
ANOTHER ONE WAS THE ONE IN THE WOODS BEHIND HANKEN ROAD THAT LASTED I THINK ABOUT 3 DAYS, IT KEPT ON RESTARTING
AND THERE SEEMED TO BE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE ONE BEHIND THE TRACKS IN THE WEST END SECTION OF TOWN SOMEONE STARTNG A FIRE IN THE WOODS BACK THERE BY THE RIVER
-- Edited by giabambino on Monday 19th of October 2009 07:20:07 PM
-- Edited by giabambino on Monday 19th of October 2009 07:20:29 PM
Admit it Gia you were the person setting those fires behind the tracks. Matter of fact I think I saw you back in the day crossing right by Natalizio's right across the street from Dr. Rossi. It must of been you setting those fires.
-- Edited by RollingStone on Tuesday 20th of October 2009 01:23:09 AM
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To Believe In Legal Immigration And Not Illegal Immigration Does Not Make One A Racist (Quote: Lou Dobbs CNN)
Admit it Gia you were the person setting those fires behind the tracks. Matter of fact I think I saw you back in the day crossing right by Natalizio's right across the street from Dr. Rossi. It must of been you setting those fires.
-- Edited by RollingStone on Tuesday 20th of October 2009 01:23:09 AM
How about the fire at LD Cooks...maybe I got the name wrong..but it was the hardware lumber outfit on Main street...had to be in the early to mid 60 since I was at St. Joes school at the time..I belive one of the owners was Mr. Doyle whose son was in my class at St Joes.
Too bad Uncle Frankie (Capano) was stll not alive..he could tell us of many fires..think he was the fire chief for unit # 4 for years
How about the fire at LD Cooks...maybe I got the name wrong..but it was the hardware lumber outfit on Main street...had to be in the early to mid 60 since I was at St. Joes school at the time..I belive one of the owners was Mr. Doyle whose son was in my class at St Joes.
Too bad Uncle Frankie (Capano) was stll not alive..he could tell us of many fires..think he was the fire chief for unit # 4 for years
Som44, You are right about LD Cooks. I completely forgot about that fire of many years ago. That was a big one. For those not in the know LD Cook was a Lumber Supplier located right on Main Street in Bound Brook at the same building that housed Bound Brook Auto Supply right across the street from Pranzatelli's.
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To Believe In Legal Immigration And Not Illegal Immigration Does Not Make One A Racist (Quote: Lou Dobbs CNN)
I remember watching St Mary's Church burn from Mrs. Cooley's first grade classroom - must have been 1959 - I guess.
The fire at the print shop by Buono's Meat Market. It was my first a BBFD member. I was holding a hose in a window when the air conditioner fell out and almost hit my feet. Fun.
What about the fire on Second Street during the flood - I remember fighting that fire in waist deep water. Must have been 1971.
There was also the fire at Suburban Propane - I remember running towards a fire truck to gear up and watched propane cylinders flying through the air.
I remember driving home from Boston late one night. Pulled up to the light by Thuls - and trucks were responding to the Burger Chef fire. That was the night someone didn't make a good hose connection and we ended up jumping on a hose flying all around Union Ave.
Do they still use the old horn system and counting numbers for fire locations?
THE OLD KOLUMPUS 5 & DIME,,,,,,,,THAT ONE WAS A BIGGIE
ANOTHER ONE WAS THE ONE IN THE WOODS BEHIND HANKEN ROAD THAT LASTED I THINK ABOUT 3 DAYS, IT KEPT ON RESTARTING
AND THERE SEEMED TO BE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE ONE BEHIND THE TRACKS IN THE WEST END SECTION OF TOWN SOMEONE STARTNG A FIRE IN THE WOODS BACK THERE BY THE RIVER
-- Edited by giabambino on Monday 19th of October 2009 07:20:07 PM
-- Edited by giabambino on Monday 19th of October 2009 07:20:29 PM
I remember fighting a fire I beleive in 1971 during the flood at the Nu-Tex building. We were on the side of the railroad and sice I worked on the railroad at that time I was in charge of stopping the trains.
I remember fighting a fire I beleive in 1971 during the flood at the Nu-Tex building. We were on the side of the railroad and sice I worked on the railroad at that time I was in charge of stopping the trains.
That Nu-Tex building that stood in the lot where Rick Soderberg built the new Ricks Cycle Center burned down during the early 60's. I am pretty sure Rick put his new building up on that lot probably around '69 or '70 if my memory serves me right.
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To Believe In Legal Immigration And Not Illegal Immigration Does Not Make One A Racist (Quote: Lou Dobbs CNN)
"Do they still use the old horn system and counting numbers for fire locations?"
That system was pretty cool. I remember having the index posted on the cellar door.. When we would hear the fire horn, run to the cellar door and see where the fire was, then into the car or on my bicycle to go see the fire..
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Avatar picture is my 1987 Buick Grand National pictured here in 2006 when I won the Tubro Street Modified Class at the Buick GS Nationals in Bowling Green KY. Car has run 9.64 at 140.11 mph.. Imagine this car sitting in Burger Chef on a Saturday night...
Thanks to technology, now it's all a thing of the past. I had a chart as well where all of BB had four zones...broken into quadrants of the town. Each zone stated with a 1, 2, 3 or 4. If it was a 4, I knew it was the elite part of town. If it was zone 1, I knew I better start sniffing soon! The wierd thing was it wasn't just a horn, but a series of horns coming from several directions back to back. Often, it sounded like five hounddogs stuck in a trap somewhere and I'd have to say...was that one or two taps. Speaking of taps...remember the backtaps...the two tone ending to the fire?? A whole ritual now a thing of the past.
NOT I 