Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Richard Fitzgerald |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Battalion Chief |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 41 to 45 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 1/19/1891 |
| Cause of Death | Thrown from vehicle |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | Duty disability |
| Type of Duty | Responding to/returning from incident |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 0/0/1890 |
| Incident Location | Street/Road |
| Incident Attribute | Traffic accidents |
Incident Summary
On January 19, 1891, Chicago Fire Department Chief Richard Fitzgerald of Battalion 7 died from injuries he had sustained in the line of duty one year earlier. Fitzgerald was injured while responding to a fire after his fire buggy crashed into a large stone pile near the Wisconsin Central Depot. Fitzgerald’s injuries were initially deemed fatal, but he recovered slightly and was confined to his bed for the last year of his life. Doctors also believed that Fitzgerald’s years of firefighting contributed to the chronic heart and lung problems from which he suffered during his illness.
Funeral services for Fitzgerald were held on January 22, and he was buried at Calvary Cemetery. One hundred firefighters attended the services, and Fitzgerald was survived by his widow and nine children.
Citations:
Obituary of Richard Fitzgerald, Chicago Daily Tribune, January 20, 1891.
“Funeral of Ex-Fire Marshal Fitzgerald,” Chicago Daily Tribune, January 23, 1891.
Firefighter and Incident Images
