From La Grange Fire Department Fire Chief Daniel J. Reda:

Today marks the 100^th Anniversary of the Line of Duty Death (LODD) of firefighters: Walter Busch and George “Red” Werdell. While responding to a fire the engine they were responding on was struck by a train at the Burlington Northern Railroad crossing. An account of the accident was published in the Chicago Tribune on August 31, 1925 and read:

“Witnesses to the crash, which occurred shortly after the watchman left the gates, declared the engineer of the train had given no warning whistle, and that the speed of the train was fifty miles an hour.

Chief of Police L.G. Matthews of La Grange in his automobile and Capt. Harry Pullman, commanding a hook and ladder company, had safely made the crossing. Following close behind was a pumper truck, driven by Fireman George Werdell and manned by Walter Bush, William Powell and Carl Swanson. The flyer struck it squarely carrying the wreckage three blocks.

Bush was killed instantly, Werdell died last night at the Hinsdale sanitarium. Powell was taken there also, and is in critical condition. Swanson saw the train and jumped escaping injury.”

I have included pictures of the engine after the accident, as well as one of the replacement engine provided by the American La France Company and one from the Illinois Firefighters Memorial.

Remember the Fallen Brothers.

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Fireman George Werdell, La Grange Chief of Police L.G. Matthews, La Grange FD Capt. Harry Pullman, La Grange FD Firefighter George “Red” Werdell, La Grange FD Firefighter Walter Busch, La Grange FD Fireman Walter Bush, La Grange FD LODD Anniversary, La Grange Fire Department, La Grange Fire Department history