Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Ignatz Geiss |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Pipeman |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | [Unknown] |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 6/7/1865 |
| 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 | 6/7/1865 21:0 |
| Incident Location | Storage |
| Incident Attribute | Structural collapses , Fires |
Incident Summary
On June 7, 1865, two Chicago Fire Department firefighters died in the line of duty while fighting a warehouse fire on South Water Street. Pipeman Ignatz Geiss of Engine 9 and Pipeman John Trainor of Engine 5 were killed in a structural collapse at the Zea & Zimmerman warehouse.
The warehouse was largely destroyed during the fire, but some interior and exterior walls were still standing as firefighters moved through the smoldering ruins several hours after a bulk of the flames had been extinguished. When one of the outer walls collapsed, eight firefighters, including Geiss and Trainor, were buried in the debris, and several others were injured. Firefighters moved quickly to rescue their trapped colleagues, but Geiss and Trainor died from their injuries.
Geiss was assigned to the steam fire engine “Frank Sherman,” and Trainor was assigned to the steam fire engine “U.P. Harris.”
Citations:
“Destructive Fire,” Chicago Tribune, June 8, 1865.
“Dreadful Calamity,” Chicago Tribune, June 8, 1865.
“The Deceased Firemen,” Chicago Tribune, June 9, 1865.
Firefighter and Incident Images
