Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Ernest Heide |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 31 to 35 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 1/23/1929 |
| Cause of Death | Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Electrocution |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Responding to/returning from incident |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 1/23/1929 |
| Incident Location | Street/Road |
| Incident Attribute | Electrical hazards |
Incident Summary
On January 23, 1929, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Ernest Heide of Engine 25 died in the line of duty while reporting for duty. Heide was aboard a streetcar traveling on Halsted Street when he noticed a downed power line on Archer Avenue that was shooting off sparks into the street. Heide ordered the streetcar driver to stop and was trying to keep pedestrians away from the power line, but he was electrocuted when a gust of wind caused the wire to brush against him. Heide was transported to Mercy Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Citation:
“Two South Side Firemen Killed in Line of Duty,” Chicago Daily Tribune, January 24, 1929.
Firefighter and Incident Images
