Funeral arrangements announced for Camden firefighter who died during incident on Delaware River
New details about Camden firefighter who died in Delaware River during inspection
Family, colleagues, and city officials are mourning the loss of Camden firefighter Howard Bennett who died after falling into the Delaware River during a routine boat inspection.
CAMDEN - Funeral arrangements have been announced for a Camden firefighter who died during a routine maintenance operation on the Delaware River last week.
The backstory:
Howard Bennett, 60, fell into the icy Delaware River while inspecting a fire boat at Wiggins Park Marina last Thursday.
Bennett, who spent nearly 30 years with the Camden Fire Department, was pulled from the icy water after about 30 minutes.
He was rushed to Cooper University Hospital in Camden where he was pronounced dead.
Funeral arrangements
What we know:
A funeral will be held for Bennett on Wednesday morning at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden.
The service will start around 10:30 a.m., and a "Celebration of Life" is scheduled to begin around 12:30 p.m.
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Camden honors firefighter who died after falling through the ice at Wiggins Park Marina
Family, colleagues, and city officials are mourning the loss of Camden firefighter Howard Bennett, who died after falling into the Delaware River during a routine boat inspection.
What they're saying:
Bennett’s colleagues and city leaders described him as a dedicated public servant and a beloved member of the department.
"Everybody loved him," said Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen. "Twenty-seven years, someone touches individual lives, and you get to know the fire department — they’re family with each other — and this one’s going to be a hard one to swallow."
Chief Jesse Flax, who worked with Bennett since 1999, said Bennett was always the boat operator and the one to fix and repair equipment. "He was very intelligent, loved firefighting, soft-spoken, would help anybody," said Flax. "He was always the boat operator — always the guy to fix and repair."