Posts Tagged historic Chicago fire scene

Vintage Chicago fire scene photos with Snorkels at work

Nov 23

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, Historic Fire Photo | 2 Comments

This from Eric Haak:

For this week I thought I would offer a bunch of Snorkel images and one Autocar. Image 1 is from a 2-11 at 4440 W. Madison on September 23, 1959. The building to the right is still there but the rest of it is all gone. Image 2 shows an Autocar working at a 2-11 at 4615 S. Wells on October 5, 1959. This was during the pre-Dan Ryan days and Wentworth Avenue can be seen in the background. Image 3 is interesting because this fire was just outside of Engine 48’s quarters at 3950 S Dearborn. It was a 5-11 on October 11, 1959. For those who are familiar with Engine 16’s old house on Dearborn (same house), you can see the bottom of the railroad bridge at the top of the image, so this was literally right outside of 48’s apron. Image 4 is from a 3-11 at 4314 S Cottage Grove on February 8, 1961 showing Snorkels 1 and 2 working together. Image 5 again shows Snorkels 2 and 3 working together at a 4-11 bowling alley fire on March 27, 1961. The address was 3818 W 26th St. Finally there is an image of a 4-11 from August 17, 1967. This building was on the northeast corner of Wentworth and Cullerton and was the International Heater Company supply warehouse. Happy Thanksgiving to all!”

2-11 Alarm fire at 4440 W. Madison in Chicago on September 23, 1959. Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

An Autocar engine working at a 2-11 Alarm fire at 4615 S. Wells on October 5, 1959 in Chicago. Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

vintage fire photo with Chicago FD Snorkel #2 in 1959

A 5-11 Alarm fire on October 11, 1959 at 3950 S Dearborn Street in Chicago. Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

vintage fire showing Chicago FD Snorkel 2 and Snorkel 3

A 3-11 Alarm fire at 4314 S Cottage Grove on February 8, 1961 in Chicago. Eric Haak photo, photographer unknown

vintage photos of Chicago FD Snorkel2 and Snorkel 3

Vintage photo of Chicago FD Snorkels 2 and 3 working together at a 4-11 Alarm fire at a bowling alley on March 27, 1961. The address was 3818 W 26th St. Eric Haak collection , photographer unknown

vintage 1967 Chicago fire scene with multiple Snorkels working

A 4-11 Alarm fire on August 17, 1967 at the northeast corner of Wentworth and Cullerton at the International Heater Company supply warehouse. Eric Haak collection, photographer unknown

Tags: Chicago DFD Snorkel 3, Chicago FD Snorkel 2, Chicago Fire Department history, classic Chicago fire scene photos, Eric Haak, historic Chicago fire scene, historic fire scene photos, historic fire truck photos, historical images of Chicago FD Snorkels, Vintage Chicago fire scene photos with Snorkels at work

Vintage 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago, 4-14-69

Mar 1

Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic Fire Photo | 2 Comments

This from Steve Redick:

Going through my dad’s old scrapbooks I happened on the clippings for this job. A 5-11 and 1 Special for the grain elevator 506 W 51st Street, April of 1969. This was arguably the last wooden grain elevator left in the city. It was situated in a rail yard with no water and no real access for companies. The articles explain this as well.

This is a very special memory for me as I went to this fire with my dad. I was 9 at the time and it was the biggest fire I had ever seen. The radiant heat was extreme. Dad put me on the turntable of truck 18, a tractor-trailer FWD. I had just gotten my Kodak instamatic camera and was snapping away. Dad told me it was gonna collapse soon and when it did it was gonna get really really hot. I stuck my head out for just a second and grabbed a quick shot. It was my first real fire photo.

News clipping from a historic Chicago fire

Warren Redick collection

News clipping from an historic fire that destroyed a grain elevator in Chicago 4-14-69

Warren Redick collection

News clipping from an historic fire that destroyed a grain elevator in Chicago

Warren Redick collection

Photo from a 5-11 and 1 Special for the grain elevator 506 W 51st Street, April of 1969

Steve Redick photo

Tags: 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago 4-14-69, grain elevator fire in CHicago, historic Chicago fire scene, historic Chicago newspaper article, Steve Redick, Warren Redick

Historic 5-11 Alarm fire at the Ford City Shopping Center in Chicago, 4-2-68

Feb 29

Posted by Admin in Fire Service Photos, Historic fire apparatus, Historic Fire Photo | 5 Comments

This from Steve Redick:

April 2, 1968, just days before the riots erupted. A 5-11 and 3 or 4 specials for a fire in a massive building. The press coverage with the spectacular large format cover photo is sadly a thing of the past now. I have enclosed one of Dave Fornell’s images from that day.

News clipping from an historic fire that destroyed the Ford City shopping center

Warren Redick collection

News clipping from an historic fire that destroyed the Ford City shopping center 4-2-68

Warren Redick collection

News clipping from an historic fire that destroyed mcCormick Place in Chicago on February 13, 1971

Warren Redick collection

historic Chicago fire apparatus battle huge fire

Dave Fornell photo

Tags: 1954 Autocar CFD squad, Chicago Autocar engines, Chicago FD Autocar squad, Dave Fornell, historic Chicago fire scene, historic Chicago newspaper article, historic fire scene photos, historic fire truck pictures, historic truck photos, Warren Redick

Vintage Chicago fire scene with LODD: 12-13-64

Feb 24

Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic Fire Photo, LODD | 2 Comments

This from Steve Redick:

Here’s some articles from an amazing fire. It occurred right next door to the quarters of engine 42 at 224 W. Illinois. Joseph P. Carone, a member from Truck 31 was killed in a collapse. Look at some of the names mentioned in the article. I have enclosed a Tribune photo I bought of this same fire. Note they also had an extra alarm in a hardware store a few blocks away at the same time.

Warren Redick collection

Chicago Tribune photo from an extra alarm fire at 224 W Illinois in Chicago 12-13-64 where Firefighter Joseph P Carone was killed.

Warren Redick collection


YEAR	DATE	MONTH	TIME	BOXNO	STNUM	STDIR	STNAME	ALARM	SPECIAL	EMSPLAN	EMSPLANNO	TYPEBLD	TYPECONST	HEIGHT	OCCUPIED	DIMENSION	TRUSS	NOBLDS	PHOTO	PHOTONO	INJURYFF	INJURYFFNO	DEAD	DEADNO	DEADFF	DEADFFNO	DESCRIBE	MONTHNO
1964	13	December	1031	837	669-71	N.	Clark	3-11		0		S-VA	B	4		60 x 125	0	01	-1	4065	0		0		0			12


YEAR	DATE	MONTH	TIME	BOXNO	STNUM	STDIR	STNAME	ALARM	SPECIAL	EMSPLAN	EMSPLANNO	TYPEBLD	TYPECONST	HEIGHT	OCCUPIED	DIMENSION	TRUSS	NOBLDS	PHOTO	PHOTONO	INJURYFF	INJURYFFNO	DEAD	DEADNO	DEADFF	DEADFFNO	DESCRIBE	MONTHNO
1964	13	December	1207	826	224	W.	Illinois	4-11		0		F	B	6		30 x 150	0	01	-1	4066	-1	005	0		-1	001		12

Tags: Chicago Firefighter Joseph P Carone, Chicago firefighter killed in collapse 12-13-64, classic fire scene photo, historic Chicago fire scene, historic Chicago newspaper article, news clippings from fires in Chicago

Vintage 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago, 10-6-70

Feb 8

Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic Fire Photo | 4 Comments

This from Steve Redick:

These clippings describe some heroics by Curtis Volkamer a deputy fire marshal at the time of this fire at the Liquid Fuels storage yard, 3182 S. Archer Avenue on October 6, 1970.

News clipping from an historic fire that destroyed mcCormick Place in Chicago on January 16, 1967

A fire at the Liquid Fuels storage yard, 3182 S. Archer Avenue on October 6, 1970. Warren Redick collection

Warren Redick collection

Tags: Chicago 5-11 Alarm fire in 1970, Curtis Volkamer, historic Chicago fire scene, news clippings from fires in Chicago

Historic Chicago fire scene with rescue, 11-11-72

Jan 30

Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic Fire Photo | 2 Comments

This from Eric Haak:

Just thought I would share these rare images of Truck 60 making a rescue on November 11, 1972. These images were taken by Sylvester Szymczak who was a professional photographer that lived in the neighborhood. He took some very good photos of the Central Manufacturing District fire as well, probably since he lived so close. I bought a collection of prints taken by him and recognized the buildings in this rescue as being about two blocks from my current home. A couple years later I came across a Truck 60 log book and in it, found the entry for this fire as shown in the last image. From what I have been able to research, the rescued victim survived. The ambulance pictured is Ambulance 12.

Sylvester Szymczak photo

historic fire scene image of a victim rescue

Sylvester Szymczak photo

Vintage log book from Chicago FD Truck 60 for 11-11-72

Tags: Chicago FD Truck 60 history, historic Chicago fire scene, historic photos of victim rescue at Chicago fire scene, Sylvester Szymczak, Vintage log book from Chicago FD Truck 60 for 11-11-72

Vintage Chicago fire scene: 3-11 alarm in 1970

Jan 13

Posted by Admin in Historic Fire Photo | 1 Comment

More newspaper articles from Steve Redick of a fire in December of 1970, a 3-11 alarm at 316 N Michigan … lower level

Warren Redick collection

Tags: 3-11 alarm at 316 N Michigan, classic fire scene photos, classic newspaper clippings of Chicago fire scene, historic Chicago fire scene, historic Chicago newspaper article, Steve Redick, vintage fire photos from Chicago, Warren Redick

Vintage Chicago 5-11 alarm fire scene, 1-28-65

Dec 28

Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic Fire Photo | 1 Comment

This from Steve Redick:

5-11 2209 Lumber 1-28-65.

Interesting article about some suburban fires as well

historic news story of huge fire in Chicago

From the collection of Warren Redick.

Warren Redick collection

Tags: 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago in 1965, Chicago Fire Department, historic Chicago fire scene, Larry Nocerino, Steve Redick, Warren Redick

A request for assistance

Nov 12

Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic Fire Photo, Reader submission | 4 Comments

This from John Lake:

I had two uncles who were both Chicago firemen and avid photographers. I just stumbled across your site and wonder if there is any chance that someone can identify the events in these photos.

Thanks.

?? - Chicago warehouse fire - Fire Boats in action

Tags: classic fire scene photos, historic Chicago fire scene, vintage fire photos from Chicago

Historic 5-11 Alarm fire with 4 Specials at the Continental Grain Co in 1966

Jun 2

Posted by Admin in Historic Fire Photo | 1 Comment

This from Eric Haak:

With things being fairly slow lately, I thought I would share some images of a historical nature. This would be one of the more memorable fires of the past 50 years. The abandoned 9-story Continental Grain Company Elevator at 32nd Place & Benson Street stood on the east side of the South Branch of the Chicago River. Just after 7:00 pm on May 25, 1966, the structure went up in flames. The fire was elevated to a 5-11 with 4 Specials in under 20 minutes. People old enough to remember this need no description, but for those younger fans, the history of the department is an important thing to bring back into circulation from time to time. The photographer is unknown and the images are part of my personal collection.