Posts Tagged Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano 12-14-15

Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

A year to the day after Chicago Firefighter Daniel Capuano died, the warehouse where he suffered a fatal fall during a smoky fire is being demolished.

The razing of the property at 9213 S. Baltimore Ave. is scheduled to begin Wednesday with the deconstruction of the building’s roof, Chicago Department of Buildings spokeswoman Mimi Simon said. The move comes following a year of hearings regarding the Southeast Side property, including several held in the weeks after Capuano’s death.

The city moved to have the warehouse knocked down because of an array of code and building violations, including an open elevator shaft where Capuano, 43, fell during the Dec. 14, 2015, fire.

Demolition of the brick warehouse was delayed, Simon said, because of “design and structural challenges” related to the building’s location near railroad tracks and because it shares a wall with another building. Railroad tracks used by Metra Electric trains are located immediately to the east. The 93rd Street station is next door.

The Chicago Fire Department held a memorial bell-ringing ceremony Wednesday morning at Capuano’s firehouse, Engine Co. 72 on South Chicago Avenue, deputy district Chief Jeff Lyle said. Capuano was a part of Tower Ladder 34. The memorial was held during morning roll call. Bernard Farmer, a battalion chief who died Dec. 14, 1954, in a building collapse at 224 W. Illinois St. also was honored.

thanks Dan

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Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

Excerpts from dnainfo.com:

Julie Capuano remembered visiting her late husband Daniel, more than a decade ago when he was a training at the Robert J. Quinn Fire Academy. Capuano pulled his then pregnant wife aside to show her the Wall of Fallen Heroes. Inside the display case at 558 W. DeKoven St. are hundreds of badges of fallen firemen.

Daniel Capuano’s badge was added to that wall Wednesday afternoon (6/22/16) in a ceremony honoring the fallen firefighter from Mount Greenwood. Capuano, 42, died Dec. 14 while working a warehouse fire at 92nd Street and Baltimore Avenue. He fell two stories down an unmarked elevator shaft.

“I never thought we’d be here,” Julie Capuano said. “It’s heartbreaking to see his name.”

He left behind Julie, and their three children — Amanda, Andrew and Nicholas. Later that afternoon Amanda and Nicholas placed a brick engraved with their father’s name at the Chicago Fire Department Fallen Firefighter/Paramedic Memorial Park along the lakefront at 2300 S. Ft. Dearborn Dr.

Seeing the names on the wall, Julie Capuano remembered her husband attending the funerals of some of men whose badges are now placed beside his own. She found several prayer cards belonging to these fallen co-workers recently when going through his things.

“It’s a great honor for him to be on that wall with all those other guys,” she said.

thanks Dan

All of the posts about the LODD of Chicago FD Firefighter Daniel Capuano can be viewed HERE

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Evergreen Park to name ice rink for fallen firefighter

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Yukich Field is located at 8900 S. Kedzie

thanks Dan

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Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

 

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Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

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Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

Excerpts from dnainfo.com:

Hundreds of firefighters filled the hallways, chapel and auditorium of St. Rita High School in Ashburn Friday morning to say goodbye to Chicago fireman Daniel Capuano, 42, of Mount Greenwood who was killed early Monday after falling two stories down an elevator shaft at a burning South Chicago warehouse. He leaves behind his wife Julie, and three children — Amanda, 16, Andrew, 13, and Nicholas, 12.

“On behalf of a grateful city and nation, we are here with you,” said Fr. Tom McCarthy of St. Rita High School. “None of us want to be here. But we are here, and we are here to celebrate life: the life of a very good man. If you are not here to celebrate that, you need to leave right now.”

McCarthy described Capuano as a dedicated father, firefighter and man of faith. He and Julie had celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on July 20. Firefighters read heartbreaking letters from Capuano’s wife and kids during the service.

“I’m just not sure what I’m going to do,” Julie Capuano wrote. “I will miss your hands and face. You were my first true love and you will always be my love. You were everything to me and I will love you always and forever.”

McCarthy gave a message to each of the children, urging them to remember their dad is still with them. “Your dad was and always will be your biggest fan and your biggest supporter,” he said to Amanda. To the boys: “Every time you play a game, I’m going to feel sorry for the other team, because you are going to have one more guy on the ice – your dad.”

Capuano joined the fire department in 2001 as a paramedic and became a firefighter in 2005. He served as a volunteer hockey coach with the St. Jude Knights Hockey Club and was an active parishioner at Queen of Martyrs Catholic School in suburban Evergreen Park.

The fire commissioner described Capuano as a man who “loved the service and respected the people that needed help.”

After the funeral Mass, a procession of police cars and fire trucks lined up to take Capuano’s body to be buried at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery where firefighters from his station followed Engine 72 to the gravesite and bagpipes played. Amazing Grace was played as the flag from atop the casket was folded, and Fire Commissioner Santiago handed the flag to Capuano’s widow.

“I wish he could see how many people came out to support us,” Amanda wrote in a letter read at the funeral mass. “I wish you could see how many people love you, daddy.”

More images from the funeral.

Chicago FD LODD funeral

Tim Olk photo

Chicago Fire Department Pipes and Drums

Tim Olk photo

Chicago Police Department Pipes and Drums

Tim Olk photo

Chicago FD LODD funeral

Tim Olk photo

Chicago FD LODD funeral

Tim Olk photo

Chicago FD LODD funeral

Tim Olk photo

Chicago FD LODD funeral

Tim Olk photo

Chicago FD LODD funeral

Tim Olk photo

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Chicago Blackhawks honor fallen CFD FF/PM Daniel Capuano

 

thanks Drew

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Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

Excerpts from theChicagoTribune.com:

Citing a litany of alleged unsafe conditions, Chicago city officials are seeking to demolish a South Side warehouse where a firefighter died after falling into an open elevator shaft.

In an emergency motion filed Tuesday afternoon in Cook County court, city attorneys cited numerous alleged deficiencies discovered in an inspection after the death of Chicago firefighter Daniel Capuano, 42, who plunged into the open shaft in the burning building Monday morning. Building inspectors alleged various problems, including “gaping holes” in the floor and voids stretching from the second floor to the basement left by demolition of the elevator shaft.

The court filings call the building at 9213 S. Baltimore Ave. “an immediate and ongoing threat of irreparable harm” to the public, and the city is seeking unspecified but potentially hefty fines against the owners.

City officials forwarded information to Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez. Prosecutors were reviewing the facts Tuesday to determine whether prosecution could be warranted.

The building is owned by a Wheaton-based company managed by Jatin Patel, according to property records. His attorney, Patrick Cummings, said Tuesday that Patel was “crushed” by the firefighter’s death.

City officials could not immediately provide records indicating whether the building has been inspected in the past.

The Chicago Fire Department investigation continued Tuesday afternoon, spokesman Larry Langford said. Fire officials were awaiting lab results that could indicate where and how the blaze started, Langford said. Arson was not suspected, he said.

PDF: Motion to demolish building at 9213-9219 S. Baltimore Ave.

Building department officials said Monday that “unauthorized work was being performed at the site.” Permits were issued in September for construction work but not authorization for the removal or demolition of an elevator, officials said. If such a permit had been issued, the city would have made sure the elevator was safely decommissioned, according to the building department.

The review of the building done after the fire turned up holes in the floors, exposed wiring and fractured masonry, among other problems, according to the city’s motion seeking to demolish the building. A load-bearing beam was replaced without approved architectural plans or a permit, according to the court filing. A court hearing is scheduled on the city’s motion Thursday.

The city is seeking as much as $1,000 per day for every day the owners kept the building in an unsafe condition, among other fines. Building officials also plan to inspect all properties owned by the company and managed by Patel, according to a building department spokeswoman.

Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza, 10th, said she was shocked to learn that Patel, who was renovating the building with plans of turning it into a grocery store, did not have the appropriate permits.

Sadlowski Garza said Patel is “a great guy” who has been active in the neighborhood, helping host a senior lunch for residents and “going above and beyond to help people in the neighborhood.”

Patel and companies linked to him in local and state records have made frequent contributions to politicians, including $2,500 in donations this fall to Sadlowski Garza, according to campaign finance reports.

thanks Dan

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Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

Excerpts from NBCChicago.com:

The owners of the building where a veteran Chicago firefighter died Monday morning didn’t have proper permitting for some construction work at the site, the city officials said. Additionally, the removal of the elevator and other structural alterations were underway without authorization, city Building Department spokeswoman Mimi Simon told The Associated Press.

City officials said they were still confirming the building’s ownership.

Dan Capuano was among the firefighters dispatched to a three-story warehouse fire at 9213 S. Baltimore just before 2:30 a.m. The 42-year-old father of three fell down an elevator shaft to the building’s basement. He was a 15-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department. He and his family planned to celebrate the upcoming holiday in Florida.

“As the firefighters went in there they saw some holes throughout the floor,” Santiago said. “They gave out an emergency alert, ‘Be careful.’ It looks like Firefighter Daniel had just walked into the elevator shaft as he was searching, couldn’t see and fell.”

A mayday call was immediately sent [out] and [shortly] Capuano was wheeled to an ambulance and rushed to Oak Lawn’s Advocate Christ Medical Center, where he died of his injuries.

“Chicago has lost one of its bravest in Dan Capuano,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Monday. “He made the ultimate sacrifice so Chicago’s residents could be safe. For that, there are no words that can truly express our sorrow for his loss nor our gratitude for his service and sacrifice to the City of Chicago. The thoughts and prayers of a grateful city are with Dan, his family, and his fellow firefighters at this difficult time.”

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford called the death an “inexcusable” safety lapse. “There is absolutely no protection to keep the firefighter from falling in,” Langford said. “It could have been something as simple as pylons and a rope or a more substantial barrier, that was not there it was just floor and then hole.”

The Capuano Memorial Fund has been established for anyone who would like to make donations to the family.

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Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Dan Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

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