Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Louis Nilsen |
| 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 | 1/30/1933 |
| Cause of Death | Vehicle collision |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Emergency vehicle operations , Responding to/returning from incident |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 1/30/1933 |
| Incident Location | Street/Road |
| Incident Attribute | Traffic accidents |
Incident Summary
On January 30, 1933, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Louis Nilsen of Squad 5 died in the line of duty while responding to a restaurant fire on East 71st Street. Nilsen was driving the squad car east on 71st Street when it collided with a paint truck traveling south on Cregier Avenue. Nilsen drove the squad car up onto the sidewalk in an effort to avoid the truck, but the car overturned when it hit the truck and a lamp post. Nilsen was pinned under the squad car and died from his injuries, and the four other squad members in the vehicle were also injured.
Citations:
“Fireman Killed, Four Others Are Hurt in Crash,” Chicago Daily Tribune, January 31, 1933.
Firefighter and Incident Images
