Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | William Fitzgerald |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | [Unknown] |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 10/25/1931 |
| Cause of Death | Caught/Trapped , Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Burns |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 10/25/1931 |
| Incident Location | [Unknown] |
| Incident Attribute | Explosions , Fires |
Incident Summary
On October 25, 1931, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter William Fitzgerald of Squad 8 died in the line of duty while fighting a fire on South Parkway. The fire originally started when a still exploded, and Fitzgerald and four other firefighters were operating inside the building when a second explosion occurred. The firefighters were struck by a wall of flames, and Fitzgerald and another firefighter had to be dragged to safety by their captain. All five firefighters were burned, but Fitzgerald died from his injuries later that day at Michael Reese Hospital.
Citations:
“Five Firemen Burned in Still Blast Flames,” Chicago Daily Tribune, October 25, 1931.
“Fireman Burned Fighting Blaze Dies of Injuries,” Chicago Daily Tribune, October 26, 1931.
Firefighter and Incident Images
