| Name | Robert Cox |
| Agency | Springfield Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 31 to 35 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 8/30/1945 |
| Cause of Death | Struck by vehicle , Thrown from vehicle |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Responding to/returning from incident |
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Springfield |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 8/28/1945 22:15 |
| Incident Location | Street/Road |
| Incident Attribute | Traffic accidents |
On August 28, 1945, Firefighter W. Robert Cox of the Springfield Fire Department was fatally injured in the line of duty while responding to a fire on North Ninth Street.
Cox was riding on the left sideboard of a ladder truck when he fell off the apparatus at the intersection of Ninth and Monroe Streets. The rear wheels of the truck ran over his body, causing numerous fractures and internal injuries. Cox was treated at St. John’s Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on August 30.
Funeral services for Cox were held at St. Agnes Church on September 1, and he was interred at Calvary Cemetery. Cox was survived by his widow and one daughter.
Citations:
“Local Fireman Seriously Hurt in Truck Fall,” Illinois State Register, August 29, 1945.
“Robert Cox, Fireman, Dies of Injuries,” Illinois State Register, August 30, 1945.