From Steve Redick:
McCormick Place, the 1960 exposition hall was destroyed in a spectacular fire on January 16, 1967, despite being thought fireproof by virtue of its steel and concrete construction.
photographer unknown
photographer unknown
photographer unknown
photographer unknown
photographer unknown
photographer unknown
#1 by Bill Post on February 19, 2023 - 4:26 AM
I can actually identify Truck 31’s Old 1942 Engine Ahead of cab American La France Tillered Aerial Truck company. It was in the next to the last shot which was somewhat of a close/up and it was in shot 1 and 4. The rig had a 100 foot metal retractable Aerial Ladder and one was one 2 rigs delivered in 1942. That rig was also the last rig assigned to the Old Truck 6 which was located with the Old Engine 40 and Squad 1 when they were taken out of service during August of 1963 and were located on east side of Franklin street between Washington and Randolph street. The rig was subsequently reassigned to Truck 31 when they were located with Engine 104 at 14th and Michigan avenue. It was amazing that when the shot was taken the rig was already 25 years old and it was still in front line service when the shot was taken. I also remember the that the fire was a 5=11 and 4 Special alarm Fire and that just a few weeks later there was another 5-11 and 4 Special alarm Fire was called for a burning Court Style 3 story apartment building on the 1200 block of west Jarvis street during the Big Snow Storm (blizzard of 1967) due to Jarvis was a dead end street also off of Lake Michigan and it was impossible to get any fire apparatus on the block of the Fire so that all the hoses and Ladders and other equipment had to be carried to the fire building from Sheridan and Jarvis about a block west of the Fire Building. Even though the rear section of the building was destroyed most of it was saved and it the fire didn’t spread to any other buildings on the block if you consider the how the Blizzard brought 23 inches of snow and the winds off of Lake Michigan were pretty strong. The fire was reported late at night was automatically boxed by the main fire alarm office due to the blizzard. Even though no apparatus could be driven onto the block wjere the fire building was located, they were able to get some hose lines onto the roof of the building across the alley which was located on 1200 block of west Fargo avenue and they used that building roof as a point of vantage for elevated stream onto the fire building on west Jarvis.
Both fires were only 10 days apart and this was only the first month of 1967.