Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Kelvin Anderson |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 26 to 30 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 12/22/1989 |
| Cause of Death | Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Asphyxiation , Burns |
| Attribute of Death | Smoke inhalation |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations , Search and rescue operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 12/22/1989 19:0 |
| Incident Location | Public assembly |
| Incident Attribute | Structural collapses , Fires |
Incident Summary
On December 22, 1989, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Kelvin Anderson of Engine 107, died in the line of duty when the roof collapsed on him during a fire at the Rose of Sharon Church on W. Warren Boulevard. Anderson’s colleagues reported that he was crawling through the church searching for victims when the roof collapsed around 7 p.m. Search and rescue teams labored for more than sixteen hours before Anderson’s body, buried under debris in the church’s basement, was recovered around 11 a.m. the next morning. An autopsy indicated that he had died from asphyxiation and severe burns. Anderson was given full department honors during his funeral, and a plaque in his memory was unveiled at Engine 107’s firehouse in 2001.
Citations:
Christi Parsons, “Firefighters mourn colleague killed in church blaze,” Chicago Tribune, December 24, 1989.
John W. Fountain, “He died doing the job he loved to do,” Chicago Tribune, December 28, 1989.
“Firefighters honor fallen colleague,” Chicago Tribune, December 22, 2001.
Firefighter and Incident Images
