4-11 Alarm fire in Chicago

All posts tagged 4-11 Alarm fire in Chicago

Some shots from a 4-11 at Hastings and Wolcott in Chicago. It was a barrel works as I recall and the embers from this drifted a block away and burned out some rooms on the top floor of an occupied apartment building. I forget it’s exact location. We ran down there just as the companies arrived. It may have been a box or maybe they just grabbed units from the 4-11. Truck 1 was used here with their brand new E-One rig with the pre-piped waterway. This was November 1989.

Steve Redick

vintage Chicago fire scene photo

Steve Redick photo

vintage Chicago fire scene photo

Steve Redick photo

vintage Chicago fire scene photo

Steve Redick photo

vintage Chicago fire scene photo

Steve Redick photo

vintage Chicago fire scene photo

Steve Redick photo

vintage Chicago fire scene photo

Steve Redick photo

Chicago firefighters battled a 4-11 Alarm fire with a Special Alarm for two additional chiefs and three additional trucks at 4540 W. Haddon Avenue at a flea market. The building measured approximately 100×200 and was bordered on one side by railroad tracks that were on an embankment even with the roof f the one-story building. Part of the structure was a covered parking garage with additional parking on the roof. Several of the cars fell into the building as the roof sections collapsed.

Tower Ladder 14 had their brand new E-ONE unit and new Air Mask Unit 6-4-6 was also at the scene. Aerial Tower 1, the only straight ladder with a pre-piped waterway was called to the scene as well at Turret Wagon 6-7-6. The fire was dispatched around 9:30 am and was struck out in the early evening, though relief companies were at the ruins all night.

Chicago FD Tower Ladder 14

Josh Boyajian photo

firefighter at commercial building fire

Tim Olk photo

Chicago firefighters battle a commercial fire

Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago firefighters battle a fire

Josh Boyajian photo

car burning inside a garage

Tim Olk photo

Chicago FD Air Mask Unit 6-4-6

Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago FD Engine 96

Josh Boyajian photo

tower ladder working at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

Snorkel working at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

African American Chicago FD captain

Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago fire engine at fire scene

Josh Boyajian photo

Heavy smoke at building fire in Chicago

Tim Olk photo

Heavy smoke and flames at building fire in Chicago

Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago FD Aerial Tower 1

Josh Boyajian photo

Chicago FD Aerial Tower 1

Tim Olk photo

Chicago firefighters battle a huge fire with Pierce aerial

Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago FD Turret Wagon 6-7-6 at work

Larry Shapiro photo

more at chicagoareafire.com and shapirophotography.net and chi-townfirephotos.smugmug.com

Later in the alarm a fireground event, described as a smoke explosion, backdraft  or possibly a collapse created a tremendous sudden push of smoke and heat from the building. I captured some images of conditions in the front of the building just as this occurred, and also got some images of the RIT deploying in response to a brief mayday that was declared.

The east side of the building had an overhead door, and when the event happened a large rush of heat , smoke, fire, and air vented out of this opening, injuring 3 members. I believe all are ok, with some minor injuries. I don’t believe the RIT actually performed any actual rescue as the injured members were upright in short order.  I personally think a large portion of the roof came down causing this rapid exit of fire gasses … mind you just my opinion … I am not qualified to truly judge what actually happened.

Steve Redick

Chicago FD Tower Ladder 23

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

 

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Tim Olk photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Tim Olk photo

firefighters at commercial fire scene

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

RIT deployed at fire scene

Steve Redick photo

RIT deployed at fire scene

Steve Redick photo

RIT deployed at fire scene

Steve Redick photo

firemen injured at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

firemen injured at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

All the images and video can be seen here:

Took this in Friday (10/30/15). I arrived shortly after the 3-11 was pulled. Fire was involving several stores in the cockloft area and rapidly spreading to other occupancies at 3536 W. Irving park Road in Chicago. The overhead view I supplied gives an idea of the construction and layout. Three tower ladders, a Snorkel, and several multiversals and handlines were utilized. Collapse became a significant concern as the operations progressed.

Steve Redick

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heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

heavy smoke from commercial building fire in Chicago

Steve Redick photo

Steve Redick forwarded this video of the 4-11 Alarm fire in Chicago on April 29, 2007

Just after sunrise on Sunday morning, April 29, 2007, fire engulfed this old Chicago warehouse in the 2100 block of West Carroll on the near west side.  There is a great video on YouTube of the scene before companies even arrived which was filmed by residents living in the building at the end of the street.  The 100 x 250, 3-story heavy timber building was fully involved before Engine 26 and Truck 7 arrived, sending thick smoke throughout the neighborhoods for miles to the north.  The building was being renovated into lofts at the time.  I arrived in time to capture the second collapse of the sector 1 wall which you can see in the first two images.

 

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Commissioner Ray Orozco

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firemen in Snorkel basket

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firemen silhouette with Snorkel

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo