| Name | Patrick Mullins |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol |
| Rank | Captain |
| Type of Firefighter | Fire Patrol |
| Age Range | 26 to 30 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 9/17/1891 |
| Cause of Death | Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Asphyxiation |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Hazardous materials response |
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 9/16/1891 |
| Incident Location | Industry/ Manufacturing |
| Incident Attribute | Hazardous materials incidents |
On September 16, 1891, Captain Patrick Mullins of the Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol was fatally injured in the line of duty when he was exposed to nitric acid during a hazardous materials response on Adams Street.
A fire alarm was raised after a ten-gallon, glass container of nitric acid began leaking at a photo engraving company. Mullins and members of Patrol 1 joined firefighters from Chicago Fire Department Truck 9 at the scene, although none of the responders were aware of the acid’s extreme toxicity. Exposed to the acid for between ten and thirty minutes, thirteen of these responders became ill about five hours later, and Mullins died shortly after midnight on September 17.
Funeral services for Mullins were held at St. Elizabeth’s Church on September 19, and he was buried at Calvary Cemetery. He was survived by his widow and one child.
Citations:
“Inhaled the Fumes and One is Dead,” Chicago Daily Tribune, September 17, 1891.
“Death was in the Air,” Chicago Daily Tribune, September 18, 1891.
“Numbered with the Dead,” Chicago Daily Tribune, September 20, 1891.