This from Eric Haak:
Chicago had a 3-11 alarm fire on their Southeast side early Sunday morning. The fire was reported shortly before 0430 hrs. The original fire building at 8719 S. Commercial Ave was a 2.5-story vacant frame with an old TV repair shop on the first and apartments above. This was apparently well-involved on arrival and was already communicating to a 1-story, ordinary laundrymat at 8723.Companies made an interior attack at first but the condition of both buildings was compromised and companies were pulled out of both structures just before 0500 hrs. 8725 Commercial was a former restaurant that was a 1-story ordinary with a second story frame addition. This frame addition became fully involved as fire vented through the roof of the Laundromat. There was slight communication to 8727 which was part of the same building as the restaurant.Seven engines were pumping at this incident. Engine 46 was in a spare and used its deck gun on the attic space of the original fire building. Engine 72 was on Commercial south of the fire buildings. Engines 81 & 82 were at the intersection of 87th and Commercial. Engine 104 was at the intersection of 87th and Exchange. Engine 126 was at the intersection of 87th & Houston. Engine 122 was at the south entrance of the alley on 88th Street.Various media outlets reported that a civilian jumped from a second-story window and was transported from the scene. The 3-11 was struck out at 0610.
The scene as I arrived about 30 minutes in. Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Engines 81 and 82 lined up next to each other. Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
The original fire building after things had wound down. Eric Haak photo
Engine 82 has a nice new hand-painted hose tarp. Eric Haak photo
Some additional images are at fire scenes.net
#1 by Eric Haak on June 4, 2014 - 11:25 AM
Thanks Bill. I have only caught 104 pumping one other time and that was on a brush fire. Glad I was up early Sunday.
#2 by Bill Post on June 4, 2014 - 4:06 AM
Eric those shots of Engines 81 and 104 hooked up and pumping are also rare shots and both of them are relatively slow companies (especially Engine 104).
Speaking of Engine 104 and High Pressure Wagons (see previous post). Engine 104’s original quarters at 1401 s Michigan (now a restaurant), had run with Engine 104 ,Truck 31, Water Tower 3 and High Pressure Wagon 3 all under the same roof in a very large 2 bay station. When Truck 31 was located with Engine 104 they were a Tilled Aerial Ladder apparatus and also keep in mind that Water Tower 3 had a large front overhang with it’s main turret up front.
For a 2 bay station Engine 104’s house had a lot of apparatus and was one of several 2 bay stations that the Chicago fire department had operated that were very large in terms of floor space.
#3 by Bill Post on June 4, 2014 - 3:49 AM
Those were great shots Eric. I really like that second shot down the line (with Truck 17’s profile and the fire visible in the rear). That was a really sharp photo in my opinion.
It’s ironic that old Engine 87’s house was located less then a block away (at 8701 S Escanaba. They had been taken out of service on October 1st 1969 and to this day I really questioned the wisdom of taking them out of service as the next due Engines (72 and 126) are a good 2 miles away and all of those Engines are ALS companies and are constantly running and getting tied up on EMS runs. Flying Manpower Squad 1 was put in service at the station when Engine 87 was taken out of service, however space really wasn’t that much of an issue at that station as the “Original Squad 5” had run out of Engine 87’s quarters from November of 1963 until January of 1968 and High Pressure Wagon 6 had run our of Engine 87’s house from August 26th 1957 until September 28th 1962. The High Pressure Wagons were heavy duty Hose Wagons with one or two fixed turrets “deck guns” on the apparatus (without pumps) and were located in high risk industrial areas and were also co/located with Chicago’s 3 Water Tower companies which were taken out of service between 1959 to 1961 when replaced by Chicago’s Snorkel companies.
The last HIgh Pressure Wagon was taken out of service on November 16th 1964. Chicago had run with a high of 8 HIgh Pressure Wagons ,even though it was usually less then that as High Pressure 8 had run only from June of 1959 through mid November of 1963. Years ago High Pressure 8 temporarily in service between 1935 and 1936.
#4 by Eric Haak on June 2, 2014 - 7:24 PM
Not sure but that’s what it looked like.
#5 by Fred on June 2, 2014 - 4:14 PM
Eric….was that really duct tape on the hydrant?
#6 by David on June 2, 2014 - 4:11 PM
Great pics, thanks for sharing!