Fire photos

Chicago Box Alarm fire – August, 2009

Posted by firescenesadmin on October 14, 2013

Posted in: Fire photos, FIre Scene photos, PREVIOUS. Tagged: Chicago Fire Department, Chicago fire eninge at fire scene, Eric Haak, fire scene photos, firefighters at fire scene, pictures of firemen working, Spartan fire engine working at fire scene. Leave a Comment

More from the archives of Eric Haak in Chicago

The images seen here were taken on Chicago’s West Side in August, 2009. I was only a half mile away from this incident when Chicago’s Main Fire Alarm Office dispatched companies. I unfortunately did not hear the address correctly and went north instead of south which took me nearly a mile in the wrong direction. I realized my error when Engine 44 reported a large 3-flat with heavy fire blowing out the windows on 2 and 3 and then saw a large header in my rear view mirror. I recovered in time to still get some good shots, although I practically cry every time I think about what could have been. This fire was on the 1000 block of North Lawndale in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood.

Chicago Fire Departmental at building fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Departmental at building fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Departmental at building fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Departmental at building fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Departmental at building fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Departmental at building fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Departmental at building fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Still & Box Alarm, July 2011

Posted by firescenesadmin on October 12, 2013

Posted in: Fire photos, FIre Scene photos, PREVIOUS. Tagged: Chicago Fire Department, chief fire officer surveys fire scene, Eric Haak, fire scene photos, fireground photography in Chicago. 4 comments

Another Chicago FD submission from the files of Eric Haak.

The following photos occurred on a very hot afternoon in early July, 2011. Companies found heavy fire in the rear of a Chicago bungalow near the intersection of Homan & Augusta on Chicago’s West Side. First due companies upgraded the alarm to a Still & Box as the fire had spread to the occupied exposure to the north prior to their arrival.

Chicago Fire Department house fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Department house fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Department house fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Department house fire

Eric Haak photo

As usual, this fire was knocked quickly and the initial companies prevented serious damage to the exposure with an aggressive attack.

Chicago Fire Department house fire

Eric Haak photo

I am not sure but I believe that this last photo is of Kevin Casey, who appeared in the movie Backdraft. Any help confirming this would be greatly appreciated.

Chicago Fire Department house fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago 3-11 Alarm fire, March 2007

Posted by firescenesadmin on October 10, 2013

Posted in: Fire photos, FIre Scene photos, PREVIOUS. Tagged: 3-11 Alarm fire in Chicago, Eric Haak, fire engine at fire scene, fire scene photos, fire storm of flames at night fire scene in Chicago, large grocery store fire in Chicago, Spartan fire engine at night fire scene with massive flames and fire. Leave a Comment

Another big fire in Chicago from Eric Haak.

The following photos are from a 3-11 alarm fire at a grocery store on Chicago’s South Side in March of 2007. Smoke was reported coming from the rear loading dock area of the closed store at about 7:30 on a Sunday night. The building was a large, 175 x 150, 1-story truss located at the intersection of 72nd and Exchange Streets.

Chicago Fire Department battles massive blaze

Eric Haak photo

The front of the building faced commuter rail tracks which made a tight squeeze for Tower Ladder 37 who operated from this position.

Chicago Fire Department battles massive blaze

Eric Haak photo

I included a picture of the front of the building before the fire pushed through the entire structure to give perspective.

Chicago Fire Department

Eric Haak photo

Once it did, fire conditions in this sector were very heavy.

Chicago Fire Department battles massive blaze

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Department battles massive blaze

Eric Haak photo

Hand lines were led out into the 4-story apartment building in sector 4, and companies used this position to get water on the fire from the windows of this building, which you can see in this view from the rear of the building.

Chicago Fire Department battles massive blaze

Eric Haak photo

Hartford, CT working fire – October 8, 2013

Posted by firescenesadmin on October 9, 2013

Posted in: Fire photos, FIre Scene photos, NEW. Tagged: accountability at fire scene, fire blows out of window at house fire, fire scene photos, fire trucks at fire scene, firemen with hose battle house fire, Hartford CT, Hartford Fire Department, heavy fire from attic of house, heavy smoke from attic, Patrick Dooley, portable command board at fire scene, tower ladder at fire scene. 3 comments

Hartford had this working fire on 10/8/13 at 1023 hours. The fire was located in a 3 story wood frame vacant.

Patrick Dooley

Hartford CT fire Department fighting house fire

Patrick Dooley photo

Hartford CT fire Department fighting house fire

Patrick Dooley photo

Hartford CT fire Department fighting house fire

Patrick Dooley photo

Hartford CT fire Department fighting house fire

Patrick Dooley photo

Hartford CT fire Department fighting house fire

Patrick Dooley photo

Hartford CT fire Department fighting house fire

Patrick Dooley photo

Hartford CT fire Department fighting house fire

Patrick Dooley photo

Hartford CT fire Department fighting house fire

Patrick Dooley photo

Hartford CT fire Department fighting house fire

Patrick Dooley photo

More pictures at www.squadfirephotos.com

Fatal fire in Harvey, IL – January 2008

Posted by firescenesadmin on October 8, 2013

Posted in: Fire photos, FIre Scene photos, PREVIOUS. Tagged: chief fire officer surveys fire scene, Eric Haak, fatal house fire in Harvey Illinois, firemen at winter fire scene, Harvey Fire Department, winter fire scene photos, winter fire scene with blizzard-like conditions, winter house fire. Leave a Comment

Eric Haak submitted a snowy winter fire from January of 2008.

This fire occurred in late January, 2008 in Harvey, Illinois, a south suburb of Chicago. There was a driving lake effect snow storm that evening which produced very thick, heavy snow flakes. For those who are not from Chicago, we regularly get snow that comes in off Lake Michigan when the atmosphere is right. When this happens it often creates blizzard-like conditions.

Harvey Fire Department fatal house fire

Eric Haak photo

Similar to Gary, Indiana or Detroit, Michigan, the suburb of Harvey has seen it’s better days and today shows all of the signs of the blight created when the economic engines of the past have long moved on. The department runs out of 4 stations and has 57 career members.

Harvey Fire Department fatal house fire

Eric Haak photo

Harvey Fire Department fatal house fire

Eric Haak photo

On this particular evening, the Harvey Fire Department came across water issues when they arrived on the scene. When I arrived, the fire had already consumed most of the 1.5-story frame and the attention had turned to protecting the exposures. Unfortunately, this incident resulted in one fatality.

Harvey Fire Department fatal house fire

Eric Haak photo

Harvey Fire Department fatal house fire

Eric Haak photo

Hawthorn Woods, IL abandoned house fire, August 17, 2013

Posted by firescenesadmin on October 5, 2013

Posted in: Fire photos, FIre Scene photos, Fire Scene Video, PREVIOUS. Tagged: abandoned house fire in Hawthorn Woods IL, fire scene photos, fire scene video, house fire at night, Lake Zurich Fire Department, massive flames at night time building fire, night fire scene photos, night time fire scene, rural water supply at night fire. Leave a Comment

Several weeks ago, the Lake Zurich Fire Department (IL) responded to a reported house fire in nearby Hawthorn Woods, which is within their fire district. They found fire in an abandoned two-story house on a wooded lot that was extremely grown over.

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Companies hit the fire and made a quick search before declaring the structure unsafe for interior operations to overhaul and completely extinguish the fire. At that point, a decision was made to standby and monitor the building, letting the fire consume the entire structure.

photo of abandoned house on fire

Larry Shapiro photo

photo of fire blosing out of house windows

Larry Shapiro photo

abandoned house on fire

Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

night photo of house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

It certainly made for a prime opportunity to capture images and some video.

Pierce fire engine at night fire scene

Larry Shapiro photo

flames shoot into the night at house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

flames shoot into the night at house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FD house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

flames shoot into the night at house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

A gallery with many more images is on my site.

4-Alarm fire in Rolling Meadows, IL May 25, 2009

Posted by firescenesadmin on October 4, 2013

Posted in: Fire photos, Fire Scene Video, PREVIOUS. Tagged: American LaFrance fire engine at huge fire scene, fire scene photos, firemen rescue resident by ladder from 3rd floor apartment, huge smoke header from building fire, Larry Shapiro, pictures of fire scene, Rolling Meadows Fire Department, thick black smoke from apartment building fire. Leave a Comment

The Town of Rolling Meadows is located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and had two unusually memorable fires several weeks apart in May of 2009. Within two miles of each other, they had a 3-Alarm and then a 4-Alarm fire in two different three-story condominium buildings.

Rolling Meadows Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Rolling Meadows Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

The fire shown here was the second and occurred on May 25th of that year at 5200 Carriageway Drive. The fire was in a third floor storage room adjacent to the center stairway behind a mansard roof. Moderate smoke was showing on arrival, but as the fire took hold of the attic space and was fanned by high winds, it grew quickly and vented through the roof.

Rolling Meadows Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Rolling Meadows Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Companies made an interior attack with lines taken in through third floor balconies, but they were chased out by the fire overhead which was then hit from the outside. Some residents were evacuated off of balconies. The fire was reported around 11:15AM.

Rolling Meadows Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Rolling Meadows Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Rolling Meadows Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Rolling Meadows Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

Rolling Meadows Fire Department

Larry Shapiro photo

There is a gallery with many more fire scene photos.