Everybody loved him’: Chicago Fire officials update on death of Chicago firefighter

Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt confirmed Firefighter Andrew Price was on the roof of the four-story building when he fell through a light shaft. Battalion Chief Mike McCormick confirmed Price was responsive when firefighters first reached him. Nance-Holt said Price, known widely as “Drew,” was a “workout nut” and a “great leader.”

Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:

Chicago Firefighter Andrew Price was killed after falling through a hole in the roof of a building during a fire in Lincoln Park Monday morning.

CFD Commissioner Annette Nance Holt said the fire broke out at about 6 a.m. in the 2400-block of North Lincoln Avenue in a four-story building. The building houses the Lincoln Station restaurant on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floors. It is also near the Lincoln Hall music venue.

Commissioner Holt said Firefighter Price was on the roof opening up holes for ventilation when he fell through a skylight shaft while others were putting out hot spots at what appears to have been a kitchen fire.

She said a “mayday” was called and he was located right away, but they needed to breach a wall to reach him.

After being rescued, Price was transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he later died. Firefighter Price, 39, joined the department in 2009. “This job is a very, very dangerous job and we go to work and we never know if we’ll come home,” the commissioner said.

“He was a lovely man,” ,” CFD Battalion Chief Michael McCormick said. “He was as sweet as could be. He took extremely good care of himself and his family. He was extremely healthy. He was a light of sunshine. He never had a bad thing to say about anybody.”

Price is the fourth to die in the line of duty for the Chicago Fire Department this year.

There are no reports of any civilian injuries.