Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | John Walsh |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 46 to 50 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 8/16/1970 |
| 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 Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 7/6/1970 |
| Incident Location | 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.
Firefighter and Incident Images
