Bloom Furniture Store Fire

Wednesday, March 9, 1949

Engine 7 circa 1940s

At 06:08, the fire alarm room operator received a telephone call reporting a fire at the Bloom Furniture Company, 812 Penn Street. No sooner did the frantic person begin to explain the situation when Box 4, 8th and Penn Streets, began to register in the alarm room. Wasting no time, the fire dispatcher retransmitted the bell station wide. Within minutes, the Rainbows, Juniors, Reading Hose, Washington, Friendships, Keystones and Liberties were converging on the scene. Seven minutes later, Fire Chief Edward C. Dell requested a second alarm, bringing the Neversinks and Hampden companies to the scene.

Engine 5 circa 1940s

Firefighters fought hard in the 24 degree weather, keeping the flames from spreading to adjoining businesses. At the height of the blaze, an explosion blew out the entire store front. This came as a complete surprise. One volunteer, 28-year-old Dick Bosseman of the Rainbows, was directly in front of the building when the blast occurred. Bosseman was thrown nearly 25-yards into two other firemen. He was treated for severe cuts and bruises at a nearby hospital. Word of Bosseman's misfortune got around and pretty soon, the story was that he died in the blast. The next day, Dick Bosseman startled everyone as he walked through the front door of the Schulte Cigar Store, 6th and Penn Streets, to begin his day of work.

At the same time as the blast, Edward Hemig, from the Friendships, Assistant Chief Bowers and several other firemen were exiting the building through the front door. At first, Hemig believed another fireman had pushed him down onto the pavement. Turning around, he realized that it was a washing machine that was blown out of the building. The blast was caused by an accumulated build up of natural gas. A minute after the blast, Chief Dell ordered a general alarm. This consisted of the Schuylkill, Marion and Union companies racing to the scene. All total, there were twenty-three pieces of apparatus surrounding the building. An estimate $400,000 in damage was done. It was believed the fire started in the basement and spread throughout the upper floors by way of an elevator shaft and stairways.

Another fire in a Bloom Building, 124 Wood Street. June 11, 1957

The Bloom Furniture Company was later declared bankrupt by Referee in Bankruptcy Russell L. Hiller after a petition filed by the Commercial Factors Corporation, Incorporated, of New York City. They alleged the debtor defaulted in payments under an arrangement entered on January 31, 1957. The local newspapers wrote that in addition to owing $6,152.90 to the creditor, Blooms also owed $2,100 in federal taxes, $6,000 in state and $40,000 accounts payable.

Business was suspended on April 29, 1958 and the inventory was moved to a warehouse at 841 Cherry Street. Russell L. Hiller auctioned off the assets on June 19, 1958, most of which was purchased by Fecera's Incorporated, Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, for $6,700. As for the building at 812-14 Penn, it was sold to William Zeswitz Jr for $145,000 on March 21, 1958. Thanks to Tony Miccicke for contributing this story.