Archive for December 16th, 2014

Landlord gets life in prison for fatal Cicero fire

Dec 16

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | Comments off

A former landlord was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without parole for the murders of seven Cicero residents, ages 20 years to 3 days old, who were killed in a 2010 fire the man ordered set to an apartment building he owned.

Cook County Judge Carol Kipperman said she would have sentenced Lawrence Myers to death if Illinois law still allowed such a sentence. “Everything on this trial was horrendous,” Kipperman said at the courthouse in Maywood. “His motivations were for money. This (trial) left me speechless.”

Myers, who was convicted by a jury in November, showed no emotion when the sentence was announced.

The fatal fire took place on Valentine’s Day 2010. According to prosecutors, Myers, 64, wanted to burn down his building in the 3000 block of South 48th Court to collect on a $250,000 insurance policy and move to West Virginia. Deep in debt, he hired his maintenance man, Marion “Andre” Comier, 51, who is still awaiting trial on murder charges, to set the fire, prosecutors said.

But the fire in the four-flat apartment building, which prosecutors said Comier set with gasoline on a back porch, spread quickly and trapped tenants. Killed were Byron Reed, 20, Sallie Gist, 19, their sons Rashon Reed, 3, and Brian Reed, 3 days old; as well as Sallie Gist’s twin brother and sister, Elijah Gist and Elisha Gist, both 16; and family friend Tiera Davidson, 18.

A jury took only 90 minutes to convict Myers of seven counts of murder, one for each victim, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.

After the fire was set, it spread up the only staircase to the second floor, where those who died were sleeping. The victims died of carbon monoxide intoxication due to smoke inhalation, prosecutors said.

Two days after the fire, three people reported to Cicero police they had heard Myers and Comier talking about burning down the building, authorities said.

thanks Dan

Tags: Cicero Fire Department, Cicero fire leaves 7 dead, Cook County Judge Carol Kipperman, landlord convicted of murder for arson fire in Cicero IL, Lawrence Meyers, Marion Comier, trial for Cicero arsonist

Four firefighters injured during 2nd alarm fire in Riverdale, 12-16-14

Dec 16

Posted by Admin in Fire Scene photos | 3 Comments

This from Brad Steinweg:

Here are the photos I got from Riverdale’s 2 alarm on 12/16/14. Traffic was terrible so I didn’t get there until after the 2nd alarm was called. I arrived shortly after a mayday was called, all firefighters were accounted for. I didn’t have my camera on me and had to use my phone, so I apologize for the quality.

Brad Steinweg photo

From the Chicago Tribune:

Four firefighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries while battling an extra-alarm blaze at a condominium building Tuesday in Riverdale, officials said.

About 100 firefighters from departments [throughout] the south suburbs responded to the fire in a three-story building within the Riverwood Condominiums at 137th Street and Stewart Avenue.

The injured firefighters; two are with Riverdale, one is a Calumet Park firefighter and the fourth is with Markham.

… there was a “mayday” call … by a firefighter who ran out of air on the third floor.

thanks Dan

Tags: 2 firefighters injured at Riverdale apartment building fire, 2-Alarm fire in Riverdale, Brad Steinweg, Four firefighters injured during 2nd alarm fire in Riverdale, mayday at fire in Riverdale IL

Chicago Working Fire, 12-13-14

Dec 16

Posted by Admin in Fire Scene photos | Comments off

This from Drew Gresik:

Caught a small fire @ 4718 W Monroe in the 13th Battalion on 12/13/14. Companies made a quick knock, they encountered rubbish on the first floor and 3 separate rubbish fires on the second floor in this vacant structure. OFI was requested immediately since the fires were suspicious in nature. Engine 113 hit a hydrant and dropped two lines while Truck 26 opened the roof. The squad and van were held en route.

Drew Gresik

Drew Gresik photo

Drew Gresik photo

Drew Gresik photo

Drew Gresik photo

Check out our site for more photos! http://chi-townfirephotos.smugmug.com

Tags: Chicago FD Engine 113, Chicago FD Tower Ladder 14, Chicago FD Truck 26, Chicago Fire Department, Drew Gresik, fire scene photos

Still Alarm in Chicago, 12-2-14

Dec 16

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos | 5 Comments

This from Steve Redick:

Back on the 2nd, in the 7300 block of Ibsen on the far northwest side. This was one in a string of workers in a normally very quiet area. Reported as going through the roof when I left the house, but it was pretty much done when I arrived. Basically a 1 line fire but they did wind up with 3 engines. All 3 dropped hose but only 110 actually charged the line.

Interesting to note that due to all the training, Engine 110 was at a change of quarters at Engine 119 and therefore first due at this job. Truck 55 was very aggressive placing the aerial and did a good job to “thread the needle” between all the trees. Squad 7 still with the Chicago Fire spare squad. All in all seemed like this was a very well handled job.

Steve