Firefighter Stanley Sliwinski « chicagoareafire.com

This from Eric Haak:

I thought I would pass along these images of the Hubbard Street fire. There are many images known of this incident, but a few of these may not have been well circulated. The first image is a common one of the front of the building before the collapse. I believe this image was taken facing north from under the railroad bridge. Image 2 shows the position of Snorkel 1 in the alley. Images 3 and 4 are of the ruins and I believe they were taken facing south from the Grand Avenue bridge.

An interesting side note is image 5 which is blown up from image 3. It shows an Ahrens-Fox engine being used to supply the high pressure rig. If I am wrong about any of these descriptions, please let me know as I have always wanted to understand these images and where they were taken. I own the original negatives for all four of these images and do not know who the original photographer was.

Historic Hubbard Street fire in Chicago that killed nine firefighters, 1-28-61. Eric Haak collection

Eric Haak collection

Ruins of the Hubbard Street fire. Eric Haak collection

Chicago FD Ahrens Fox engine and high-pressure wagon at the scene of the Hubbard Street fire. Eric Haak collection

Tags: Battalion Chief George Kuhn, Battalion Chief George Rees, Chicago FD Ahrens Fox fire engine pumping, Chicago Fire Department, Eric Haak, Firefighter Ciro Zuccarello, Firefighter Hillard S. Augustine, Firefighter Robert Burns, Firefighter Stanley Sliwinski, Firefighter William Hillistad, historic fire in Chicago, historic fire scene photos, Lt. Charles Rauch, Lt. Louis Repkin, nine Chicago firefighters killed at warehouse fire in 1961, The Hubbard Street Fire January 28 1961

From Chicagofirefightersmonument.org:

On January 28, 1961, at 6:30 a.m., the Chicago Fire Department responded to a seven-story warehouse fire at 614 W. Hubbard St. The structure was heavily involved and within 20 minutes the alarm was raised to a 5-11. The response brought more than 300 men, 67 pieces of equipment, and two fireboats pumping water from the Chicago River.

Battalion Chief George Kuhn led several firefighters onto the roof of an adjacent two-story building to run a hose into the burning warehouse. Without warning, the adjoining warehouse wall collapsed onto the smaller building, burying Chief Kuhn and his firefighters. Other firefighters raced to rescue those buried in the rubble and, as they worked, the roof of the smaller building collapsed, burying the initial victims and rescuers.

In all nine fireman perished, including two battalion chiefs.

Battalion Chief George Rees, Engine 40, Battalion 1

Battalion Chief George Kuhn, Engine 19, Battalion 5

Lt. Charles Rauch, Engine 114

Lt. Louis Repkin, Truck 19

Firefighter Hillard S. Augustine, Squad 10

Firefighter William Hillistad, Engine 44

Firefighter Stanley Sliwinski, Engine 26

Firefighter Ciro Zuccarello, Engine 26

Firefighter Robert Burns, Squad 2