Two Fallen NJ Firefighters Given New Gravestones
Source Firehouse.com News
Two fallen New Jersey firefighters who died around a century ago were recently honored with the unveiling of new gravestones.
Current and retired Camden firefighters, as well as officials and other guests, gathered at Arlington Park Cemetery in Pennsauken on Sept. 17 for a ceremony for the two firefighters: Chief Charles Worthington, who died in 1914, and Capt. Martin B. Carrigan, who died in 1922. Camden Fire Department historian Lee Ryan had discovered that the firefighters' graves were unmarked while researching a book on the department's 125th anniversary.
Worthington was killed May 8, 1914, when he fell 25 feet off a roof while directing firefighters at a two-alarm blaze at the Camden Electro Heating Company, according to Ryan. He was avoiding a skylight through heavy smoke and flames when he fell, and he was taken to the hospital, but he died of a skull fracture and severe neck laceration en route.
Carrigan was critically injured on Jan. 18, 1922, while directing two hose streams at a burning multi-story store building from the roof of a one-story exposure, according to Ryan. A store wall collapsed, crashing on the firefighters on the exposure and sending them falling into the building's basement. Carrigan was taken to the hospital with severe burns and a skull fracture, and he died of his injuries the nex morning.
Although Ryan had discovered the graves were unmarked, it still took some time to get proper gravestones for the firefighters. Donations and a GoFundMe campaign earned the money to pay for the markers, and the cemetery and New Jersey Marble and Granite in Pennsauken, which made the gravestones, provided discounts for their services.
Ryan encountered another snag, as well: Worthington's family had requested that his grave go unmarked, and the cemetery would needed written permission from the family for a gravestone to be added. Fortunately, Worthington's granddaughter was tracked down in Florida, and she sent the cemetery a letter of permission for the gravestone.
