Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | John J. Moran |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Truckman |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | [Unknown] |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 5/14/1911 |
| Cause of Death | Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Asphyxiation , Burns |
| Attribute of Death | Smoke inhalation |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 5/14/1911 16:30 |
| Incident Location | Industry/ Manufacturing |
| Incident Attribute | Explosions , Fires |
Incident Summary
On May 14, 1911, Chicago Fire Department Truckman John J. Moran of Truck 7 died in the line of duty while fighting an industrial fire on Rice Street.
The fire originated at the rear of the Swanson Theater and was discovered at 4:30PM. Firefighters arrived on scene as several hundred people evacuated the theater, but the flames had spread next door to a factory that produced pianos and cabinets. The factory contained hundreds of wooden pianos and cabinets as well as numerous other combustibles, including oils, paints, varnish, and other wood finishing supplies. Moran and four other firefighters were operating on the third floor of the factory when large quantities of varnish and oil exploded. The other firefighters escaped the explosion, but Moran was killed.
Funeral services for Moran were held at St. Matthew’s Church on May 17, and he was buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery.
Citations:
“Fireman Killed in $100,000 Blaze,” Chicago Daily Tribune, May 15, 1911.
Obituary of John Moran, Chicago Daily Tribune, May 16, 1911.
Firefighter and Incident Images
