Investigators have concluded that the failure of a pump on a fire engine was likely caused by a mechanical and/or design defect. The failure occurred on July 4 at a car accident scene where David Contreras died. Chief Dave Lugo may pursue litigation with manufacturer Kovatch Mobile Fire Apparatus. See related story, Arcadia Weekly, July 11, 2002, p. 8 and Arcadia Weekly, July 18, 2002, p. 1.
Group of youngsters, some wearing firemen's gear, in front of Fire Station at 50 Wheeler St. apparently on a tour of the facilities. The following is information from Dave Haney, Battalion Chief/Training Officer of the Arcadia Fire Department at 630 S. Baldwin, provided via email on November 18, 2007 : "The pumper in this photo was called 'Squad,' and was a Class B pumper, which means the fire pump is much smaller than the ones we have today (2007). It is a Mack with a 750 gallon per minute fire pump and a 400 gallon water tank. It ran as Engine 1 out of the Wheeler Station. When Wheeler Station closed, it was moved over to the Santa Anita Fire Station until she was retired. So far there has been some confusion over the year of manufacture of the pumper. Some old timers tell me either a 1943, 1944, or 1947."
Back ends of a fire truck and a police car (Pontiac) are seen on an unknown street. One police officer stands by his car with a civillian. Fire truck has hoses in use or that were used recently.
Fire station across which is painted ENGINE #2. Parked in front is one fire truck with 2 firemen. Standing to left of engine are 3 firemen. Car parked at rear of station appears to be late 1930's model. Address 1420 S. Baldwin Avenue.
A recent audit of fire department response times in 12 cities shows San Marino and Pasadena firefighters were the quickest in responding to emergency calls. The report covered April, May and June. San Marino's and Pasadena's average response times were 4:03 and 4:02, respectively. Arcadia's average, in comparison, was 4:21.
A fire on July 4th in Alhambra, believed to have been caused by illegal fireworks, destroyed Southland Display, a business that supplied posters and promotional materials to Hollywood movie studios. Arcadia Fire Department and other surrounding area fire departments helped to put out the blaze.
A 38-year-old Los Angeles man, accused of setting four arson fires in Arcadia and of carjacking a woman trying to move her car away from one of the fires, is arrested. The first fire was in a rear corridor on the second floor of The Shops at Santa Anita mall, at 400 South Baldwin Avenue at 11:40 A.M. on Friday. The other three fires were in the vicinity of the 900 block of Arcadia Avenue.
Arcadia Fire Chief Kurt Norwood announces his retirement. He began his career in Arcadia in March, 1987 as a firefighter. His last day will be July 9. See also Mountain Views News, p. 6, June 18, 2016.
Bobcat Fire - Most Chantry Flat cabins survived - 62 of 80 structures, historic Adams Pack Station did not burn down in massive Bobcat Fire which broke out September 6.
Henry Amparan and David "Casey" Jones are being hailed as local heroes for their quick thinking in using a ladder to lead three people to safety when a fire swept through a second-story apartment at the San Souci complex at 501 East Live Oak Ave.
Arcadia police arrested two Arcadia High School students 16, and 15, in connection with a December 11 racial incident in which a cross was burned and anti-Asian epithets were scrawled on the front yard of a home in the 200 block of Arbolada Drive. The two boys were booked for damaging property based on ethnic origin and were released to the custody of their parents.
Night photo of three firemen by Arcadia Fire Department truck surveying a mountain fire north of Arcadia. Standing up on the truck is Jerry Broadwell, killed several years later in a commercial building fire in Arcadia.
Hikers and scouts were briefly trapped by flames, and homeowners in Sierra Madre were given the option to evacuate, due to a brush fire which started in a wooded area about one mile north of Arno Drive in north Arcadia around 3pm yesterday. The fire has burned more than 100 acres.
Due to heavy smoke from the Williams Fire in the Angeles National Forest, schedules at schools were cut back including the postponement of the tennis and water polo matches at Arcadia High School.
