Chicago FD history

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Historic 5-11 Alarm fire with 4 Specials at the Continental Grain Co in 1966

Posted by firescenesadmin on June 3, 2015
Posted in: FIre Scene photos, HISTORIC FIRES. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a Comment

With things in Chicago being fairly slow lately, I thought I would share some images of a historical nature.  This would be one of the more memorable fires of the past 50 years.  The abandoned 9-story Continental Grain Company Elevator at 32nd Place & Benson Street stood on the east side of the South Branch of the Chicago River. Just after 7:00 pm on May 25, 1966, the structure went up in flames.  The fire was elevated to a 5-11 with 4 Specials in under 20 minutes.  People old enough to remember this need no description, but for those younger fans, the history of the department is an important thing to bring back into circulation from time to time.  The photographer is unknown and the images are part of my personal collection.

Eric Haak

Continental Grain Company Elevator fire in Chicago 5/25/66

5-11 with 4 Specials, May 25, 1966 at the Continental Grain Company Elevator at 32nd Place & Benson Street. Eric Haak collection

Continental Grain Company Elevator fire in Chicago 5/25/66

5-11 with 4 Specials, May 25, 1966 at the Continental Grain Company Elevator at 32nd Place & Benson Street. Eric Haak collection

Continental Grain Company Elevator fire in Chicago 5/25/66

5-11 with 4 Specials, May 25, 1966 at the Continental Grain Company Elevator at 32nd Place & Benson Street. Eric Haak collection

Chicago 5-11 Alarm at 1520 S Indiana – March 17, 1974

Posted by firescenesadmin on May 6, 2015
Posted in: FIre Scene photos, HISTORIC FIRES. Tagged: , , , , . 4 comments

Images and a map depicting a 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago at a cold storage warehouse that occurred 3/17/74.

information from historic 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago

Provided by Chuck Bleck

historic fire scene in Chicago

Eric Haak collection

historic fire scene in Chicago

Eric Haak collection

historic fire scene in Chicago

Eric Haak collection

historic fire scene in Chicago

Eric Haak collection

historic fire scene in Chicago

Eric Haak collection

historic fire scene in Chicago

Eric Haak collection

historic fire scene in Chicago

Eric Haak collection

information from historic 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago

map by Chuck Bleck

Historic Chicago fire photos

Posted by firescenesadmin on April 8, 2015
Posted in: FIre Scene photos, HISTORIC FIRES. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

From the collection of Steve Redick:

April 12, 1953,  5-11 with many dead, Haber Corporation 908 W North Ave

historic deadly fire in Chicago

April 12, 1953 5-11 with many dead Haber Corporation 908 W North Ave . Steve Redick collection

March 13, 1965,  2-11 at Fulton & Damen in Chicago

classic 1965 Chicago fire scene

March 13, 1965, 2-11 at Fulton & Damen in Chicago. Steve Redick collection

Chicago 5-11 Alarm at 1520 S Indiana in 1974

Posted by firescenesadmin on January 30, 2015
Posted in: FIre Scene photos, HISTORIC FIRES. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 comment

I returned from Arkansas with a lot of my dad’s collection. One of the things he had displayed on his wall was a series of 3 x 5 color prints from a 5-11 he and I were at in 1974. This was a cold storage warehouse and I recall it burned for days. I also remember at some point the building collapsed onto an adjacent structure causing the transmission of another extra alarm. We took it in well after the initial alarm and toured the fireground getting these shots of some classic rigs in action. The image with Big John in the background is probably one of the few images you will see with both guns working. Most times they couldn’t muster up the water supply to use both. Also note the 2000-GPM LaFrances often used both ports on the hydrant. They had an order that no other pumper was to share a hydrant with a 2,000-gallon rig, thus giving them the ability to use both steamer ports.

These photos were in horrendous condition … colors way off and faded. I was surprised at how much of the damaged images I was able to restore. They are far from perfect but at least they are now useable. I bet if I made them B&W they would be near perfect. Enjoy the history.

Steve Redick

Big John turret wagon working at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

Seagrave fire engine at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

American LaFrance fire engine at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

Ward LaFrance fire engine at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

Seagrave fire engine at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

Mack Pirsch fire truck at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

American LaFrance fire engine at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

Ward LaFrance fire engine at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

Ward LaFrance fire engine at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

American LaFrance fire engine at Chicago fire scene

Warren Redick photo

Chicago fire with LODD – January, 1986

Posted by firescenesadmin on October 1, 2014
Posted in: FIre Scene photos, HISTORIC FIRES. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a Comment

This image is from January 1986 … a dark day in the CFD. This was the Mark Twain Hotel, 111 W Division, and Lt Edmund Coglianese of 98 was killed here. The fire ocurred on Super Bowl Sunday, when the Bears played New England. The real scope of this tragedy was overshadowed by the super bowl victory … a terrible situation made so much worse by the hooplah of the victory. This was a dumpy SRO with tiny cubicle-like rooms. I believe the the Lt either had a mask malfunction and or ran out of air. They had an aweful time getting him out of the building.

I can only imagine how bad conditions were in this case … maze-like interior, zero visibility, severe fire conditions, difficult searches, and a tough time getting a line down what must have been a long nasty hallway. I had recently met Edmund when he brought his son’s Boyscout troop up to the office for a tour. A nice man who left behind a wonderful family. I will never forget the fact that he was the one who answered me on the amplifier when I gave him what turned out to be his last run … this still stays with me 30 years later. I can only imagine the pain his family must still feel every day.

Steve Redick

 tragic fire scene photo from Chicago

Classic Chicago fire scene photos

Posted by firescenesadmin on July 27, 2014
Posted in: FIre Scene photos, HISTORIC FIRES. Tagged: , , , , , . 1 comment

Going into the way-back machine for this fire on the northwest corner of Belmont and Pulaski.  This building still stands today and is still a corner tavern.  Kind of a neat series of images as the unknown photographer catches companies pulling up with smoke pushing out the side door.  As the fire is brought under control, you can see a dog mounted on top of Engine 91’s Ahrens-Fox.  The final image is kind of funny as a car goes driving down Belmont with a couch tied to the roof.  I could not find any markings to identify either of the trucks, and in the final image there is what I believe is a squad on Pulaski to the far right.

Eric Haak

 

historic Chicago fire scene

Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

historic Chicago fire scene

Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

historic Chicago fire scene

Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

historic Chicago fire scene

Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

Classic Chicago fire scene photos – July 24, 1966

Posted by firescenesadmin on July 17, 2014
Posted in: FIre Scene photos, HISTORIC FIRES. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 comment

Here are some great old color images from a 3-11 alarm in Chicago on July 24, 1966.  The fire was at 2348 S. Federal and from other images I have of this fire, it appeared to be long, wooden store houses that were filled with used tires.  The engine you see is Engine 104 and the other rig is lettered and numbered Squad 8.

 Eric Haak

old Chicago fire scene photo

Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

old Chicago fire scene photo with Hi-Ranger Snorkel

Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

old Chicago fire scene photo with Mack L Series engine

Classic 3-11 Alarm fire in Chicago July 24, 1966 at 2348 S. Federal . photographer unknown

old Chicago fire scene photo with Autocar squad

Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

old Chicago fire scene photo with Hi-Ranger Snorkel

Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown