This from Steve Redick:
April 2, 1968, just days before the riots erupted. A 5-11 and 3 or 4 specials for a fire in a massive building. The press coverage with the spectacular large format cover photo is sadly a thing of the past now. I have enclosed one of Dave Fornell’s images from that day.
Warren Redick collection
Warren Redick collection
Warren Redick collection
Warren Redick collection
Warren Redick collection
Warren Redick collection
Warren Redick collection
Dave Fornell photo
#1 by David on February 29, 2016 - 1:01 PM
Just have googled some period article from Chicago Tribune which states that the building was the largest one story building in the world!
There’s also written that the fire started in an electric motor and eventually went to a 5-11 with 4 specials with some 400 FFs on the scene.
This must have been just immense, the article’s really worth reading, hope the link will work:
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/04/03/page/3/article/fire-in-ford-city-damage-tops-million
#2 by MABAS 21 on February 29, 2016 - 11:21 AM
Thanks for passing on the photos and articles Steve. Had no idea of a past fire of this magnitude at the Ford City Complex. Also a bit of historical significance, Tucker automobiles were once manufactured here after Dodge Chicago Aircraft Plant closed up following World War II. The Ford Motor Company then utilized it during the Korean War after Tucker went under.
#3 by David on February 29, 2016 - 9:39 AM
Also just wondering how did they fight the fire, from the aerial photos it kinda looks like they saved a good part of the building, so did they do an interior attack as well?! I mean from what I’ve heard at the McCormick place this was impossible as they were driven out of the building by the intense flames and heat right after they entered it.
#4 by mike on February 29, 2016 - 10:20 AM
I think you are correct that they went interior on this one. No HIHFTY on this job.
#5 by David on February 29, 2016 - 9:29 AM
Now these are some shots, strange that I didn’t hear almost nothing about this fire although it looks like this must have been a major blaze, the photos reminds me a lot of the McCormick place fire.
BTW: there’s a short clip on Youtube showing the scene from the second pic from the bottom with Big Mo using one of it’s guns, I somehow always thought that it was shot at the McCormick fire. Thanks for sharing the photos anyway!