Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Daniel Capuano |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 41 to 45 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 12/14/2015 |
| Cause of Death | Fall |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations , Search and rescue operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 12/14/2015 |
| Incident Location | Vacant property , Construction site |
| Incident Attribute | Fires |
Incident Summary
On December 14, 2015, Chicago Firefighter Daniel Capuano died in the line of duty during a fire at a vacant warehouse fire in the 9200 block of South Baltimore Avenue.
Firefighter Capuano responded with Tower Ladder 34 to a report of a fire at a two-story warehouse undergoing construction work at 9213 South Baltimore Avenue. While searching through heavy smoke on the second floor of the building, Capuano fell through an unprotected elevator shaft. Capuano was transported to Christ Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Capuano was survived by his wife and three children. Firefighter Capuano’s funeral services were held at St. Rita of Cascia High School chapel on December 18 and he was interred in Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery in Alsip.
Citations:
Gorner, Jeremy, Peter Nickeas, and John Byrne, “Firefighter’s Fatal Fall: Unauthorized Elevator Work in Building Being Blamed,” Chicago Tribune, December 15, 2015.
Byrne, John, Lolly Bowean, and Nick Swedberg, “The Ultimate Sacrifice for the City He Loved; Firefighter Killed in Monday Warehouse Blaze Mourned on Southwest Side,” Chicago Tribune, December 19, 2015.
O’Connell, Patrick M., “Owners to Raze Site of Fatal Fire: Firefighter Fell Into Open Elevator Shaft,” Chicago Tribune, January 7, 2016.
USFA Firefighter Fatality Report for Daniel V. Capuano, usfa.fema.gov, January 12, 2016.
Additional Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face201518.pdf
Firefighter and Incident Images
