This from Eric Haak:

The first image is showing Engine 48’s house on the far right side with a massive 5-11 fire burning just on the opposite side of the elevated tracks. The second image is a close-up showing what I believe is the first snorkle basket that Bill Post wrote about a couple weeks ago. The fire was a 3-11 on November 2, 1959 at 1109 W. 63rd Street. Kind of a rare image of the Snorkel basket working at an early fire

vintage Chicago 5-11 Alarm fire scene

Vintage Chicago fire photo showing Engine 48’s house on the far right side with a massive 5-11 fire burning just on the opposite side of the elevated tracks. Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

classic Chicago FD Snorkel photo

Chicago firefighters in the basket of the first Snorkel operating during a 3-11 Alarm fire on November 2, 1959 at 1109 W. 63rd Street. Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown