Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | John Slater |
| Agency | Galesburg Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | [Unknown] |
| Age Range | [Unknown] |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 4/10/1904 |
| Cause of Death | Struck by object |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations , Hose operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Galesburg |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 4/10/1904 20:0 |
| Incident Location | Public assembly |
| Incident Attribute | Structural collapses , Fires |
Incident Summary
On April 10, 1904, Firefighter John Slater of the Galesburg Fire Department died in the line of duty while fighting a fire that destroyed Galesburg High School. Slater was killed when the east wall of the school collapsed as he and two other firefighters were aiming a hose into the third floor of the burning structure.
Slater had been off-duty when the fire alarm was received at 8PM, but was recalled along with all other off-duty firefighters to fight the fire, which caused more than $100,000 in damage. Although the school was a total loss, firefighters successfully contained the flames and protected nearby Knox College and a women’s seminary.
Citations:
“Fire at Galesburg is Fatal,” Chicago Daily Tribune, April 11, 1904.
Firefighter and Incident Images
