Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Michael Joyce died as a result of complications from cancer he developed while securing the scene of the Wade Dump Fire. He had patrolled the site several times following the fire to prevent trespassers and looting.
He was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in 1990 and died as a result of complications on February 1st, 1993.
Officer Joyce was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served in law enforcement for 15 years. Following city layoffs in 1981, he moved his family to Portland, Oregon, where he joined the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Portland Police Bureau.
At 3:44 pm, members of the Chester Fire Department responded to 1 Flower Street for a fire at a rubber recycling facility directly below the Commodore Barry Bridge. It was unknown to first responders that more than 3,000,000 gallons of toxic chemical waste were being stored on the site. At least 230 first responders responded to the fire, which took firefighters 10 hours to bring under control. During the response, firefighters were driven back due to exploding 55-gallon drums. One warehouse was destroyed, and two other warehouses were damaged in the fire. Investigators discovered more than 18,000 drums of toxic chemicals, tanker trucks leaking chemical waste into the ground, and ditches that had been dug to dump chemicals into the Delaware River. In August 1980, the property owner was convicted of risking a catastrophe, failing to prevent a catastrophe, and violating the Clean Water Act. He was fined $30,000 and sentenced to one to two years in the county prison. Click here to read more about the Wade Dump Fire and the officers killed from the effects of the toxic chemicals
At 3:44 pm, members of the Chester Fire Department responded to 1 Flower Street for a fire at a rubber recycling facility directly below the Commodore Barry Bridge.
It was unknown to first responders that more than 3,000,000 gallons of toxic chemical waste were being stored on the site. At least 230 first responders responded to the fire, which took firefighters 10 hours to bring under control. During the response, firefighters were driven back due to exploding 55-gallon drums. One warehouse was destroyed, and two other warehouses were damaged in the fire. Investigators discovered more than 18,000 drums of toxic chemicals, tanker trucks leaking chemical waste into the ground, and ditches that had been dug to dump chemicals into the Delaware River.
In August 1980, the property owner was convicted of risking a catastrophe, failing to prevent a catastrophe, and violating the Clean Water Act. He was fined $30,000 and sentenced to one to two years in the county prison.
Click here to read more about the Wade Dump Fire and the officers killed from the effects of the toxic chemicals
Survivors
Survivors include his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-C3CED050- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Michael. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Joyce gave the Chester City Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chester community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Michael James Joyce served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Michael James Joyce is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Chester City Police Department, 7 of 17 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 41.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael James Joyce's cause is highlighted.
How Michael James Joyce Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to two years
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Michael James Joyce is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
16 officers from Chester City Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
