Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | John Pyne |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | [Unknown] |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 12/31/1904 |
| Cause of Death | Struck by object |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 12/30/1904 22:0 |
| Incident Location | Store/Office |
| Incident Attribute | Structural collapses , Fires |
Incident Summary
On December 31, 1904, Chicago Fire Department Captain Paul Ditt and Lieutenant John F. Pyne, both of Engine 67, died in the line of duty while fighting a commercial fire at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and 40th Avenue.
Firefighters responded to the fire in the car repair shop shortly after 10PM on December 30. Around 11PM, Ditt and Pyne both suffered minor injuries when the two-story building’s north wall collapsed, but they kept working. Less than two hours later, the building’s south wall collapsed, and Ditt and Pyne were buried under debris for the second time that night. Both firefighters died within minutes of being pulled from the wreckage.
Funeral services for Ditt were held on January 2, and he was buried at Rosehill Cemetery.
Funeral services for Pyne were held at St. Mel’s Church on January 2, and he was buried at Calvary Cemetery.
Citations:
“Firemen Crushed by Wall; Two Killed and Two Hurt at Traction Repair Shop Blaze,” Chicago Daily Tribune, December 31, 1904.
Obituary of Capt. Paul Ditt, Chicago Daily Tribune, January 1, 1905.
Obituary of John F. Pyne, Chicago Daily Tribune, January 1, 1905.
Firefighter and Incident Images
