Posts Tagged Chicago FIre Department Big John

Vintage Chicago Fire at the Dixie Portland Flour Mill, 3-18-70

This from Steve Redick:

Found this clipping of the first use of the new Big John

Steve

News clipping from a huge fire at the Dixie Portland Flour Mill in Chicago 3-18-70

News clipping from a huge fire at the Dixie Portland Flour Mill in Chicago 3-18-70. Warren Redick collection

News clipping from a huge fire at the Dixie Portland Flour Mill in Chicago 3-18-70

News clipping from a huge fire at the Dixie Portland Flour Mill in Chicago 3-18-70. Warren Redick collection

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Chicago FD Turret Wagon History 6-7-3 (pt20)

The final installment from Jack Connors of the Chicago FD turret wagon history. Images in this article feature 6-7-3, Big John at various locations in the city; a display, a parade, and at two fire scenes.

Chicago FD Turret Wagon 6-7-3 Big John

On display in October of 1974 in the Civic Centre Plaza for fire prevention week. Jack Connors photo

Chicago Fire Department fire trucks

Big John at Engine 42’s house in April of 1974 with Engine 42 and Truck 3. Jack Connors photo

In this photo at Engine 42’s house on Illinois, Big John sits with engine 42 and Truck 3, both built by American LaFrance. This and only one other house in Chicago matched an American LaFrance engine and truck together. The other pair was Engine 112 with Truck 21.

Chicago FD Turret Wagon 6-7-3 Big John

Standing by at a fire scene. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD Turret Wagon 6-7-3 Big John

In the fire prevention parade, October of 1970. Jack Connors photo

On July 7, 1970, a 5-11 Alarm fire at 1750 N. Ashland Avenue resulted in the death of CFD Firefighter John Walsh when a wall fell onto a Snorkel. These next two images show Big John (6-7-3) deployed at that fire.

Chicago FD Turret Wagon 6-7-3 Big John

The fire was at 1750 N. Ashland Avenue, a 5-11 which caused the LODD of CFD FF John Walsh. Larry Walsh photo

Chicago FD Turret Wagon 6-7-3 Big John

Big John deployed in July of 1970 at a 5-11 Alarm fire where CFD FF John Walsh was killed. Larry Walsh photo

From the Chicago Park District website:

Walsh Park occupies the former site of a vacant building destroyed in a spectacular and deadly fire on July 7, 1970. Firefighter John P. Walsh, Jr. (1923-1970), for whom this West Town park is named, died five weeks after being critically injured while fighting the stubborn blaze. Walsh had served as a United States Marine before joining the Chicago Fire Department in 1951. He had been assigned to Hook & Ladder Company 44. Several months after Walsh’s death, the Dana Civic Organization requested that the Chicago Park District develop the fire-scarred site as a neighborhood park. The park district had acquired the 2-acre property by the end of 1972, with the help of grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Improvements began the following year. The 2-acre park includes playground equipment, an athletic field, basketball hoops, and a sand box.

From the Illinois Fire Service Institute:

NAME: John Walsh
AGENCY: Chicago Fire Department
RANK: Firefighter TYPE OF FIREFIGHTER:Career
AGE RANGE: 46 to 50 GENDER: Male
DATE OF DEATH: 8/16/1970 DATE OF BIRTH:Unknown
CAUSE OF DEATH: Struck by object   
NATURE OF DEATH: Trauma   
ATTRIBUTE OF DEATH: [not applicable]
TYPE OF DUTY: Aerial apparatus operations  Firefighting operations   Hose operations  
INCIDENT CITY:Chicago INCIDENT STATE: IL
DATE OF INCIDENT: 7/6/1970
TIME OF INCIDENT: Unknown
INCIDENT LOCATION TYPE:Vacant property   
INCIDENT ATTRIBUTE:Structural collapses     Fires    
INCIDENT SUMMARY:On July 6, 1970, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter John “Jack” Walsh, Jr., was fatally injured when a seven-story wall collapsed during a fire at a vacant building on N. Ashland Avenue. Walsh and Firefighter Edward Werderitch were operating hose lines several stories above the street in a snorkel basket when the wall collapsed on them. Walsh was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital intensive care unit where he was treated for multiple skull and internal injuries. He died five weeks later on August 16, 1970, as a result of the injuries he sustained at the scene.Citations:“Wall Falls; Two Firemen Hurt,” Chicago Tribune, July 8, 1970.

Philip Caputo, “Smoke Hides Fear of a Tough Fireman,” Chicago Tribune, July 9, 1970.

Robert Unger, “Wall Cave-In Injury Kills City Fireman,” Chicago Tribune, August 17, 1970.

“Mass Planned Tomorrow for City Fireman,” Chicago Tribune, August 18, 1970.

Chicago FD Turret Wagon 6-7-3 Big John

On display at the Chicago Fire Academy. photographer and date unknown

The beginning of this series can be found HERE.

Previous articles on Big John are HERE and HERE.

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Chicago FD Turret Wagon History (pt19)

Saving the most impressive of the CFD turret wagons for the last, this article includes images from Jack Connors that show all sides and closeups of 6-7-3, otherwise known as Big John when it was new.

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

View of the rear and driver’s side in front of Engine 8’s house. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

Overhead shot from the second floor. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

Closeup of the hydraulic controls. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

Hose inlets. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

View from the rear. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

The two guns as seen from the rear. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

Hydraulic lift cylinder. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

On-board pump. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

On-board generator. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

Another view of the two massive turrets. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

Additional master streams could be deployed off the front bumper. Jack Connors photo

Chicago FD turret wagon Big John 6-7-3

Impressive front end with chevron striping on the bumper. Jack Connors photo

The previous article in this series (pt 18) is HERE and an earlier post featuring Big John is HERE.

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Historic CFD radio traffic: 3-11 Alarm Century Lumber 6-6-78

This from Steve Redick; Century Lumber fire at Diversey and Clybourn, June 6, 1978 went to a 3-11:

Here’s a real blast from the past. I recorded this using a plain old cassette recorder and microphone held up to the scanner speaker while I was living at my grandparent’s house. It has held up pretty well over the years. I recognize Art Benker on the main radio at the start of the fire, and the Division Marshal was Joe Brichetto, my dad’s boss when he was in the 10th battalion. You can hear the water task force and the fireboat as well as some talk about Big John and Little John … ahhh those were the days …

Steve

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Chicago FD Turret Wagon history (pt6)

More history on the Chicago FD turret wagons – image submissions from Steve Redick … including a great shot of Big John inside Engine 42’s house.

 

Chicago Fire Department turret wagon 6-7-3

Chicago Fire Department turret wagon 6-7-3. Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department turret wagon 6-7-3

Chicago Fire Department turret wagon 6-7-3. Steve Redick photo

 

Steve also found this image of Big John

 

Chicago Fire Department Big John

Chicago Fire Department Big John 6-7-3. Tim Vermande photo

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Vintage CFD Fire Photos

Another installment of vintage Chicago fire photos from the collection of Bill Friedrich featuring an early Snorkel Squad and “Big John.”

 

Chicago Fire Department historical fire photo 1968 vintage

Chicago Fire Department historical fire photo 1972 vintage firefighters

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