Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Henry Schoenherr |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Driver |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 26 to 30 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 7/15/1904 |
| Cause of Death | Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Burns |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 7/15/1904 1:0 |
| Incident Location | Storage |
| Incident Attribute | Explosions , Fires |
Incident Summary
On July 15, 1904, Chicago Fire Department Driver Henry Conrad Schoenherr of Engine 74 died in the line of duty while fighting a 4-11 alarm fire in a Baltimore and Ohio Railroad grain elevator located at 87th Street and Ontario Avenue.
The fire started when dust exploded inside the grain elevator, and the flames spread to more than fifty nearby railroad cars. Schoenherr was fatally burned when he was struck by a sudden burst of flames out of the elevator. He was transported to South Chicago Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Funeral services for Schoenherr were held on July 18, 1904, and he was buried at Oak Woods Cemetery.
Citations:
“Big Elevator Burns,” Chicago Daily Tribune, July 15, 1904.
“Gives Life to Duty,” Chicago Daily Tribune, July 16, 1904.
Obituary of Henry Conrad Schoenherr, Chicago Daily Tribune, July 17, 1904.
Firefighter and Incident Images
