| Name | John McLean |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Captain |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 61 to 70 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 8/11/1887 |
| Cause of Death | Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Pneumonia |
| Attribute of Death | Smoke inhalation |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations |
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 8/3/1887 |
| Incident Location | Industry/ Manufacturing |
| Incident Attribute | Fires |
On August 3, 1887, Chicago Fire Department Captain John McLean of Engine 3 was overcome while fighting a fire in a mill on North Branch Street. McLean suffered from smoke inhalation and heat exposure during the fire, and he developed pneumonia the following day. McLean never recovered from his illness, and he died on August 11.
Funeral services for McLean, the oldest captain the department, were held at the Engine 3 firehouse on August 14.
McLean was born in Canada around 1817, and settled in Chicago during the 1840s. He originally joined the Chicago Fire Department as a volunteer, and was one of the first paid members of the department. A veteran of the U.S. Civil War, McLean was an original member of Engine 3.
Citations:
“Goose Island’s Fiery Visitation,” Chicago Daily Tribune, August 4, 1887.
Obituary for John McLean, Chicago Daily Tribune, August 15, 1887.