William Hamilton

Chief of Police William Hamilton died as a result of complications from cancer that developed from the Wade Dump Fire on February 2, 1978.

Chief Hamilton, who was serving as police captain, responded to the fire and remained at the scene for over four hours. During the ensuing clean-up and investigation, he provided foot patrol multiple times.

He was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the lung in 1984 and Pancreatic carcinoma unrelated to the lung cancer in 1988. He died as a result of complications on February 2, 1989, the 11th anniversary of the fire.

Chief of Police Hamilton was a United States Army veteran and served with the Chester Police Department for 30 years.

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

I have the great honor of researching your case and writing the first reflection on your memorial. May your service and sacrifice never be forgotten.

Rocky Geppert
Volunteer Researcher
Officer Down Memorial Page
February 12th, 2026