Firefighter Injured (UPDATE - Has Passed)
Fighting a fire while the blaze burns the floor you're standing on:
A Chicago firefighter was seriously hurt Monday when he fell through the floor of a burning Rogers Park apartment building.
The fire started around 11:20 a.m. at the back of the four-story multiunit building at 1757 W. North Shore Ave., Chicago Fire Department Deputy District Chief Kelly Burns told reporters at the scene Monday afternoon.
Firefighters responded to the fire in less than 10 minutes, he said. “We thought we were making good progress. And then we had a collapse on the first floor,” Burns said.
The firefighter who fell was taken in serious condition to Stroger Hospital. Burns did not share his current condition.
Worse than fighting a fire that's weakening the floor you're standing on, is the fire is traveling around inside the walls and hidden dead spaces, meaning you are standing in what could turn into a chimney in an instant.
No thanks.
Prayers and best wishes to the injured Firefighter.
UPDATE: Despite the best efforts of the medical staff, the Firefighter has passed:
A firefighter who was seriously hurt battling a fire in Rogers Mark Monday morning has died.
The firefighter was taken to Stroger Hospital with serious injuries and was pronounced dead Tuesday, according to authorties.[sic]
A procession from Stroger Hospital to the Cook County medical examiner’s office on the Near West Side is taking place as of 12:45 p.m., according to a Monroe District police lieutenant.
We have received notification of a fundraising website - an alternative to those that charge fees. We haven't tried it and know nothing about it, so proceed cautiously.
The site says he leaves behind a child and an expectant wife. They're going to need a lot of help shortly.
Labels: fire fighters
posted by SCC at 12:05 AM
71 Comments:
Why Stroger Hospital? There must be 10 or more closer to the scene. Swedish, Evanston, St. Francis, Illinois Masonic, among others!
1985 took fire & police tests.
Saw a picture of a firemen with a beard of ice.
Thats why I decided to become a cop.
Plus....they don't got SCC.
HE'S OURS!
Get well soon.
Would not want to do their job. I took the fire and police test at roughly the same time. I decided to go with CPD and never looked back with any regrets about choosing the wrong profession.
I come from a family of cops & firemen first of all God please take care of the firefighter & all firefighters & police officers. Now, for decades the jokes have been who had the better or easier job. You guys don't want to crawl in a burning building but are more than ok with getting in a gun fight. Maybe this will fuel some comedy instead of the Monday morning quarterbacks that some commenting on this blog love to do. We all (including you blue shirts) make mistakes but we should all be watching each other's backs because the general public hates the police & some (which shocks me) even hate the firefighters????? Other than the God bless the cops & firemen this comment was done to add a little levity (that means humor & jokes) I figured I had to explain the big word for you coppers. May we all come home the way we left the house! God Bless all of us who run towards the danger not away from it.
The headline sounds like a metaphor for trying to enforce the law in 2026
My prayers are with the Fighter and his family. Wishing a speedy recovery and healing to 100%.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 for a flawless recovery.
To all the clowns that ridicule firefighters, shame on you. Like the police, all it takes is one moment to alter a working, tax paying, class act human.
I hope for a 100% recovery. Regards to all involved
burn unit
They’ve Lost 5 or 6 last few years and they run 24 hours straight. Tough job and they deserve all the love they get from the citizens.
Being a Chicago firemen will forever beat being a Chicago policemen. There’s too many reasons to list
If being a cop is better, why have thousands of them left to become a firefighter since 2016?
Getting hired by the CFD is like winning the lottery
I literally saw a cop on my team cry tears of joy the day he found out he got hired by the fire dept.
Being a cop in Chicago is the biggest dead end job in the city. Maybe the world. CPS, CFD hell even the park district is way better than being a Chicago cop
Praying for your speedy and full recovery. That is one job I never wanted.
https://www.theyardfoundation.org/mayday/altman
Well said.
You must be new here
You go where they do a lot of burn patients.Not every hospital has a burn unit.If you are stabbed or shot Stroger is the hospital to go to if close enough.They are set up for a large volume of those cases and survival rates are much higher there.
Do not forget the first responder paramedics that are there for the other 2 first responders and the public.How do you think the firefighter got to the hospital?Who started the i.v.and administered pain killers?Why did you not take the Paramedic test?Tough job too.
And take care of paramedics too!
Firefighter paramedics and E.M.T.’s do fire fighting,rescue,resuscitations,etc.Not a bad value for the taxpayer.The bulk of all work done on the CFD is by the single role Paramedics who are there for all first responders including themselves.First responders are true public servants.
PRAYERS for our fellow first responder in Chicago along with ALL who serve and sacrifice in these chosen professions.
(CPD ret)
prayers for the fire fighter
AMEN
Hopefully the firefighter recovers fully and quickly. A mayday or 10-1 is never a good thing.
I have two older brothers that were Chicago Firefighters. When asked why I didn't join CFD, I always replied, I learned how to read. In all seriousness, I was not a fan of being included in places on fire. God bless this Firefighter and protect CPD and CFD!
Best burn unit around
Took it the same year. A 3rd grade learning disabled child could easily pass that test.
Sometimes, maybe most times, the ridicule going both ways are poor attempts at humor.
He suffered some 2nd & 3rd degree burns. Prayers for him
Because Stroger is outstanding in regards to high level trauma. No better place to go if you find yourself fighting for your life.
Firefighter has passed..he's in God's hands and we pray for him and his family. RIP
painful to hear
100000000000000000000%^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Paramedics are better trained than doctors these days. Dr's now train for
one area of the body, paramedics are trained for all & any emergencies & the learning part is never ending.
Thirty years ago the police learned how to write paper while in the academy, the real learning came on the street and the lessons end upon retirement.
hear the horrible news my god prayers for all
Well said Sir! There is not a single reasonable argument to list to counter your statement. I would only add few more departments to your list, Streets and Sans, DOT, library and even the booters are all better jobs than CPD all around. CPD has become a torture chamber at this point and it is due to city politics and the insane amount of oversight. The unpromoted, un-clouted lowly beat officers are facing possible felony convictions every call they respond to. The constant paranoia will destroy one's psyche in 2 to 3 years.
Our son graduated the Academy with Mike... Heckuva guy. I heard about an hour ago from our son that he had passed... R.I.P. and love and condolences to his family... Helluva job...
That's a rhetorical question right???
Quick Eternal Rests and Our Fathers, thanks SCC for the charity link.
Stroger best burn unit in the state, Loyola in Maywood also has a burn unit.
BTW, we used that link for the fundraiser and it's legit...
his grandfather was a retired cfd commissioner , and i believe his father is also retired cfd he comes from a traditional cfd family
rip god bless him n his family
Same
I concur ( that means I agree for you firefighters) 😏
2016?
Shiiitttttt… try 1916!
RIP SIR .....
When I heard they went all the way to Stroger I knew it had to be bad. Looked like the nicest Kid, fourth generation CFD. I’m old and retired and getting softer than puppy crap emotionally. It breaks my heart to see any First Responder go down in the line, but hurts extra when it’s a young man or woman the age of my children. God Bless All of You still holding the line. I pray for You daily and whenever I pass you doing the job.
Mick Belker Says:
Rest in Peace, true brave Hero.
Eternal rest grant him, O Lord, and may perpetual Light shine upon him.
3-3-5, brother. Rest in peace.
Horrible news I heard about the passing of a HERO. Prayers go out to his family and friends and the CFD
So Sad. Beautiful family..our prayers and thoughts are with you!
He comes from fire department royalty. This is a hard one to swallow. RIP sweet prince.
As long as he didn't go to northwerstern. That hellspital is the pits and super dei. It's a mess. I believe stroger is a supurb hospital. Who know what additional horrors northwerstern would have caused this poor this hero. RIP. May his wife and family be well cared for from this day forward. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Sorry to hear. Condolences.
To the comment on 3rd grade level disabled child comment you obviously have no compassion for people with special needs.That comment is more about the commenter than the ones insulted.
I’m not on the fire dept nor do I live in Chicago, IL. May I ask what this “fire department royalty” means?
100%👍🏻👍🏻❤️🩹
Godspeed, young Firefighter🙏🏻
His brother was in 008- Frank if you guys remember him over there. Also a nice guy
It is reported that he fell into a burning room in the basement and suffered burns over 90% of his body. What a horrible way to die. I know he is in heaven.
Grew up playing baseball with Mike at Hiawatha Park. He was a good dude from the neighborhood. Rest In Peace, Brother. ✝️
Can one of our brothers in the Detectives Division CONFIRM that the arsonist who set the fire was on Cook County Judges Electronic Monitoring !!??!!?? This is the direction we are going. By transferring Electronic Monitoring from the Sheriff to the Judge these vile criminals will run the streets with no metrics in place, public safety emergency as far as I’m concerned.
He was a very nice and kind person and comes from a great family. Signed a Hiawatha Coach
berwyn firefighter here rip michael -god bless you n your family -god took you too soon
Before I got promoted to Sergeant I spent 2 years in the Bomb & Arson Unit. Until I went to Bomb & Arson Unit, I had an indifferent attitude about firemen. My attitude changed completely in the 2 years I was assigned there. I got a deep respect for firemen. If you think the Police Department sucks it is nothing compared to the Fire Department. They also have merit promoted bosses and political interference. They also have some of the dumbest rules like we do. What is seldom talked about is they have the most unreliable equipment to work with. Many of the trucks are to say the least are DANGEROUS to ride in. Besides all that, it is a dangerous job. In the two years in the unit, I could not believe how many injuries I saw. Numerically, many more Police Officers are killed in the line of duty than Firemen. I get that. Who has the most dangerous job, I will leave that up to you. I myself have been injured resulting in several surgeries but I would not trade my time on the police for the fire department. Just like a young Police Officer getting killed in the line of duty this death is tragic. I don't know if the fire department has a support organization like we have (Chicago Police Memorial Association) but I hope his family will be taken care of. Bless his soul. MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
It hasn't been "Bomb and Arson" in over 15 years! It's either bomb or it's arson!
Fire Dispatcher here:
Prayer with the Altman family. It isn’t easy for us dealing with Maydays going south even from “the chair”.
08:23. 4th generation of successful firefighters.
Many promotions.
Post a Comment
<< Home