Posts Tagged vintage fire photos from Chicago

Vintage CFD Fire Photos

historic photo Chicago fire on Madison Street in 1961

 

More images from the collection of Bill Friedrich – photographers unknown.

 

historic Chicago fire photo from 1962

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Vintage CFD Fire Photos

Another installment of vintage Chicago fire photos from the collection of Bill Friedrich featuring an early Snorkel Squad and “Big John.”

 

Chicago Fire Department historical fire photo 1968 vintage

Chicago Fire Department historical fire photo 1972 vintage firefighters

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Vintage CFD Fire Photos

A few vintage images of the City Hall fires in Chicago.

Historic photo of Chicago Fire Department City Hall Fire 1961

Bill Friedich collection

Historic photo of Chicago Fire Department City Hall Fire 1957

Bill Freidrich collection

Historic photo of Chicago Fire Department City Hall Fire 1961

from Kevin

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Vintage CFD fire photos – 2

More images from the collection of Bill Friedrich depicting a fire at an ‘EL’ station in 1962.

Vintage Chicago Fire Department fire photo - 1962 El platform fire

In October of 1962, a large fire consumed a CTA station and damaged several cars. Photographer unknown

October 17, 1962: A fire at the Tech-35th station on the North-South Route traps a train at the station, which also becomes damaged by the fire. The lead car is 6453; it was so badly damaged by the fire that it was retired on April 5, 1963 as a result of the incident. Its mate, 6454, was used by itself in tests of the Automatic Train Control system, then renumbered 6721 and mated to 6722 (former 6310).   This new facility saw very little service, as in October 1962 the Tech-35th station caught fire, nearly destroying the entire platform level and damaging other parts of the station. The new island platform built only a year before and the old northbound platform were almost completely destroyed, and parts of the station house were damaged. The fire also trapped a train at the station, of which cars 6453-54 were severely damaged by the fire. (Car 6453 was so badly damaged by the fire that it was retired on April 5, 1963.) Service between Cermak and Indiana was suspended for four days as a result of what was the most serious rapid transit fire in Chicago history to that date. Service was resumed through Tech-35th five days later and, in the short term, the station was reopened using the old, closed southbound platform and new, temporary northbound side platform. The mezzanine was repaired and reopened. The next year, the station was changed from an “A” station to an “AB” (all-stop) station on April 8. Three weeks later, a new, temporary island platform reopened on the south side of 35th Street, allowing the closure of the old southbound and temporary northbound side platforms, while a new permanent station was built on the north side of 35th.

On June 21, 1965, a new $500,000 station opened, replacing facilities that were destroyed by fire in 1962 and the temporary structures built thereafter. The station consisted of a tan brick station house on the north side of 35th Street with a signature series of curved canopies over the front entrance. From the rear of

Excerpt from www.chicago-l.org

Vintage Chicago Fire Department fire photo - 1962 El platform fire

Fire consumes a CTA station and train car in 1962 at 35th Street. Photographer unknown

Vintage Chicago Fire Department fire photo - 1962 El platform fire

A view down the tracks after the fire was knocked down shows SS1 working. Photographer unknown

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Vintage CFD fire photos

Bill Friedrich has been sharing vintage photos of the Chicago Fire Department. Several images here depict classic winter scenes on the fireground in Chicago. The photographers are unknown to us as well as the dates and locations of the downtown fire.

Vintage Chicago Fire Department fire scene photo

Photographer unknown. Two Hi-Ranger Snorkels and the original Pitman-Snorkel are working along with several ladders in 1963 at this extra-alarm fire at Mercy Hospital.

Vintage Chicago Fire Department fire scene photo

Photographer, date and location unknown. Two Autocar pumpers and a water tower all encased in ice.

Vintage Chicago Fire Department fire scene photo

Photographer, date, and location unknown. Another view of the downtown fire.

Vintage Chicago Fire Department fire scene photo

Photographer, date, and location unknown. A third view of the downtown fire shows two water towers at work.

 

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