Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Michael Ehret |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Captain |
| Type of Firefighter | [Unknown] |
| Age Range | [Unknown] |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 10/8/1906 |
| Cause of Death | Vehicle collision |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Responding to/returning from incident |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 10/8/1906 17:50 |
| Incident Location | Street/Road |
| Incident Attribute | Traffic accidents |
Incident Summary
On October 8, 1906, Chicago Fire Department Captain Michael Ehret of Truck 25 died in the line of duty while responding to a fire on Ridge Avenue. Ehret was killed when Truck 25 collided with a Chicago and Northwestern Railroad train at the intersection of Estes and Ravenswood Park Avenue.
The railroad crossing’s gateman spotted the approaching fire truck, but could not see the southbound train because a stopped freight car was blocking his view. When he realized the danger, the gateman swung his lantern as a warning to the fire truck and the train, but neither vehicle stopped.
Ehret was killed instantly in the collision, and another firefighter’s leg was severed, but the remaining firefighters were able to jump clear of the crash. The fire truck was destroyed, as were the two horses pulling the truck. The engineer and fireman of the train were arrested and charged with manslaughter.
Citations:
“Train Hits Firemen; 1 Dead,” Chicago Daily Tribune, October 9, 1906.
Firefighter and Incident Images
