Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Nathan Burnham |
| 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 | 1/25/1927 |
| Cause of Death | Struck by object |
| 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 | 1/19/1927 |
| Incident Location | Residential |
| Incident Attribute | Fires |
Incident Summary
On January 19, 1927, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Nathan Burnham of Truck 27 was fatally injured in the line of duty while fighting a residential fire on Prairie Avenue. Burnham was injured during the fire when he cut his knee with his axe while he was breaking through an interior door to rescue a child trapped by the flames. The minor cut on Burnham’s knee became infected and he developed blood poisoning. He died six days after the fire, January 25, at South Shore Hospital.
Funeral services for Burnham were held on January 28, and he was buried at Mount Greenwood Cemetery. He was survived by two daughters and three sisters.
Citations:
“Fireman Dies of Infection from Cut During Rescue,” Chicago Daily Tribune, January 26, 1927.
Obituary of Nathan S. Burnham, Chicago Daily Tribune, January 27, 1927.
Firefighter and Incident Images
