Archive for June 22nd, 2016

West Kankakee Fire Department history

Excerpts from the Daily-Journal.com:

The demolition team tearing down the old Kankakee Roper factory site came across a bit of history last week. The sign was still intact when they pulled away some of the red brick veneer: West Kankakee Fire Department.

It was a reminder that West Kankakee was once its own entity, with its own fire protection district. That sort of history is in the books, but it’s also stored in the memories of Jim Maass, the fire chief at this station from 1961 until 1982. He’s 92 now and started with the west side department in 1947. He understood the premise: There was no pay at all for the firefighters or ambulance crew members. “You did the job because you wanted to help people,” he said.

“The Roper Corporation built that fire house for us,” he said, “It opened in 1957. And they probably got a break on their insurance having a fire department so close, but they were still very good to us. It was their boiler house man who set off the siren for us.

He can still describe the station on Illinois Route 17 West. He remembers the three bays, one for the ambulance, or what was called the inhalator then. It was named after a breathing assistance device used before CPR was developed.

 “We kind of made our own out of a 1954 Ford bread truck,” he said. “Then, later, we bought a real 1963 GMC ambulance. That went to the Kankakee department when we were annexed.” The other two bays were reserved for engines. “I think there was a 1947 Dodge and and 1958 International.”

He remembers the calls, too.

“The worst one was probably the downtown Kankakee fire. The 100 block of South Schuyler [Avenue], the west side of the street. We fought it all day and all night.”

The worst for Maass, though, was the Limestone school fire, Dec. 1, 1966.

“I wanted to get up and look at where the fire was coming through the roof. It was just peeling that roof open,” he said. “I was up on a ladder, 21 feet, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground. I shattered my elbow. Heck, it broke my helmet into three pieces, but I think it saved my life.”

The elbow still hurts today, but talk of the camaraderie among fire fighters still brings a smile to his face. Even as he talks about some of the nightmarish scenes he witnessed.

“There was a case when we were called to a car running into a train. The guys asked me to come and look. The driver… she was hurt pretty bad, they said. There was a lot of blood and her scalp seemed to be just hanging on. “I told them to tie a clean towel around it and get her to the hospital. That’s where they told us it wasn’t quite that bad. The lady was wearing a wig, and we hadn’t come across anything like that back then.”

thanks Dennis

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2-11 Alarm fire in Chicago, 6-21-16

Excerpts from ABC7Chicago.com:

One dog was rescued, a firefighter was injured, and one dog was killed in a Tuesday afternoon fire in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood.

The 2-11 alarm fire broke out in the 2700-block of North Campbell around 12:30 p.m. The original fire building was at 2720 N. Campbell and had exposures to north and south.

A Chicago police officer was driving on I-90 when she noticed the smoke pouring from the home. She hopped off the expressway, ran into the burning building and helped four people get out. She was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation then returned to her shift.

The fire spread from the originating building to a neighboring structure. There were two dogs inside the burning homes cell phone video shows firefighters running one of them out of the house.

Both buildings are now un-inhabitable. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

thanks Dan

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House fire in Lansing, 6/21/16

This from Brad Steinweg:

Lansing had a full still around 15:00 Tuesday (6/21/16) for a house fire on the 2900 block of E. Ridge RD. Fire was knocked after I arrived as it was about a block down from the station. Assisting companies included Thornton, Cal City, Munster, & South Holland.

-Brad S.
Lansing Fire Department

Brad Steinweg photo

house fire scene in Lansing IL

Brad Steinweg photo

house fire scene in Lansing IL

Brad Steinweg photo

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4-Alarm fire in Antioch, 6-21-16 (more)

Photos from Tim Olk of the 4-Alarm fire in Antioch, 6-21-16

firefighter overhauls kitchen with fire overhead

Tim Olk photo

fiery debris falls on firefighter pulling ceiling

Tim Olk photo

flames through roof during house fire

Tim Olk photo

firefighters battle house fire

Tim Olk photo

fire chiefs at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

firefighter outside house fire

Tim Olk photo

fire engines at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

firefighters rescue pet from house fire

Tim Olk photo

fire chief at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

firefighters overhaul after house fire

Tim Olk photo

firefighters overhaul after house fire

Tim Olk photo

aftermath of house fire

Tim Olk photo

Antioch Fire Department fire engine

Tim Olk photo

Antioch Fire Department fire engine

Tim Olk photo

Antioch Fire Department tender

Tim Olk photo

Fox Lake FD tender

Tim Olk photo

more photos at firescenes.net

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