This from Steve Redick:
Here’s an interesting artifact. A list compiled of all the working fires during the West Town gas explosions, compiled by the FAO using a radio log as a template. I’m not sure who made it up or if it’s completely accurate but it’s a pretty cool document.
click on the image to download a larger file
More from Steve Redick for #TBT:
I found my archive of the famous West Town gas explosions 1-17-92 at 937 N. Racine. A valve failed causing high pressure gas supply to an entire neighborhood resulting in explosions and fires over a large area. The radio traffic is pretty intense. Some of the voices I recognize in the office Dan Bull, Lee Madison, and Mike Kerr, in the field Bob Hoff Batt 6. Bob Walters Truck 19, Wally Lynch E43, Ed Fitzgerald 271, Ray Orozco JR on Truck 7, and Duke Scneider on E57.
We were at the fire Duke had and I’ll never forget he said to us at the time “there are 61 trucks in this friggin city and you can’t find me at least one?” He was on his own at a well involved factory fire. Many will also recall Bob Hoff found a fire, made rescues, drove them to the hospital, and returned back to manage that and a few other incidents. This whole event was really something to see. I was there early on with the watch from work as we were passing nearby on the way home. Unfortunately I did not have my camera.
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
