Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | William Sikora |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Captain |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | [Unknown] |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 6/16/1925 |
| Cause of Death | Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Asphyxiation |
| Attribute of Death | Equipment failure |
| Type of Duty | SCBA operations , Search and rescue operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 6/16/1925 |
| Incident Location | Construction site |
| Incident Attribute | Gas leaks , Medical emergencies |
Incident Summary
On June 16, 1925, Chicago Fire Department Captain William Sikora of Squad 2 died in the line of duty while rescuing trapped construction workers from an underground caisson chamber on West Jackson Boulevard. Firefighters responded to the scene after three workers in the chamber collapsed and lost consciousness due to leaking sewer gas. Sikora descended into the caisson chamber wearing a breathing apparatus, and successfully revived two construction workers who he sent to the surface. Sikora also recovered the body of one dead worker, but he collapsed from asphyxiation when his breathing apparatus ran out of oxygen before he himself could climb out of the caisson.
Citation:
“Fire Captain Saves 2 Lives, But Loses Own,” Chicago Daily Tribune, June 17, 1925.
Firefighter and Incident Images
