Archive for March 11th, 2023

Multiple fatal fire in Chicago, 3-7-23 (more)

Mar 11

Posted by Admin in Fatal fire, Fire Department News | 4 Comments

A house fire has claimed the lives of all four family members of Chicago Firefighter Walter Stewart. The fire broke out just after 9 p.m. in the 2500-block of North Rutherford Avenue on Tuesday night. Everyone inside the home suffered severe smoke inhalation.

The blaze claimed the lives of Stewart’s wife, 36-year-old Summer Day-Stewart, who died on Friday, as well as the couple’s 7-year-old son, Ezra Stewart, who died on Wednesday. The two remaining children, a 2-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl — who have been hospitalized since the fire — passed away Friday night.

Ignite the Spirit, a Chicago Fire Department charity, has established a fund to support the family.

Tags: 7-year-old boy dies after house fire, Chicago Fire Department, Chicago Firefighter Walter Stewart, Chicago Firefighter's wife dies after house fire, chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Ezra Stewart, family of Chicago firefighter injured in house fire, fatal fire in Chicago, fatal fire in Chicago claims four family members, Firefighter's son dies after house fire, hicago firefighter loses entire family in house fire, house fire in Chicago, Summer Day-Stewart

Illinois fire service news

Mar 11

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | Comments off

Excerpts from fox32chicago.com:

Illinois fire safety groups are speaking out about some proposed legislation they say is supported by out-of-state fireworks companies looking to legalize certain types of explosives in the state.

The type of device in question reportedly has 500 grams of pyrotechnic component — the highest level of potency before you need a professional license to handle them.

House Bill 2121 would re-classify these items as non-fireworks.

The Illinois fire officials say that if the measure passes and these types of devices aren’t restricted, sellers would not have to be licensed or have insurance.

Currently these types of devices are illegal — a rule that Illinois fire officials want to stay in place.

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, House Bill 2121, Illinois bill to re-classify some fireworks

Apartment fire in Wheeling, 3-11-23

Mar 11

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos | Comments off

Wheeling and Prospect Heights firefighters responded to a fire alarm at 375 Plum Creek Drive Saturday morning. Companies arrived to find fire from a third floor balcony on the south side of the building. The alarm was upgraded to a Working Fire which brought additional units from Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Glenview, Des Plaines, Niles, the North Maine FPD, and Northbrook.

submitted photo

Firefighters from Wheeling Truck 24 made an initial transitional attack from the exterior with a 2 1/2″ line at ground level. Companies from Engines 23 and 24 made an interior attack to extinguish the fire within the apartment. One resident was transported to an area hospital.