CHICAGO CIVIL DEFENSE - Chicago Fire Department

1. HOMEPAGE

2. MEMBERS PAGE

3. REUNION PARTY PHOTO'S

4. CD/EPDS CO. QTRS. PICS

5. APPARATUS PIC'S CD

6. APPARATUS PICS E.P.D.S

7. FIRE & RESCUE PHOTO'S

8. MISC. PHOTO'S PAGE

8a. Vintage C.F.D. Photos

9. ENGINE CO. 87 CLUB

10. CD/EPDS MEMORABILIA

11. AIR RAID SIRENS

12. CHICAGO FIRE OF 1871

13. CD/EPDS NEWS MEDIA

14. CFD NEWS MEDIA

15. HISTORY OF CHICAGO CD

16. CLASSIC DOCUMENT'S

17. CFD ORDER'S-ARCHIVE'S

18. LINKS & CONTACT'S

19. VIDEO ARCHIVES

19a. Video Archives - 2

19b. Video Archives - 3

20. C.F.D. AIR/SEA RESCUE

21. HISTORY OF THE C.F.D.

22. >>> CHICAGO DISASTERS

22a. Bulk Term Acid Leak

22b.Union Stockyard Fires

22c. Iroquois Theater

22d. Eastland Ship

22e. Our Lady Of Angels

22f. 1992 Tunnel Flood

22g. Chicago EL Mishaps

22h. AA Flight 191 Crash

22i. E2 Nightclub 2003

22j. 69 W. Washington

23. CFD PICS S. Redick

23a. CFD Pics S. Redick

23b. Misc Depts S. Redick

23c. Misc Depts S. Redick

24. ILLINOIS M.A.B.A.S.

25. C.F.D. COMPANY QTRS.

26. C.F.D. PHOTO'S

26a. C.F.D. Photo's

26b. C.F.D. Photo's

26c. C.F.D. Photo's

26d. C.F.D. Photo's

27. C.F.D. FIRE COMM.

28. C.F.D. RADIO FREQ'S

29. O.E.M.C. CENTER

30. F.D.N.Y.

(22b) Union Stockyard Fires of December 1910 & May 1934

1244 N. Wells St. (Old Town)
1653 W. 43rd St. (Stockyards)
Image: 
,

1910 Union Stockyards

On Dec. 22, 1910, a fire that started in the basement of a Morris & Co. meat storehouse would end with the worst loss of life by a big-city fire department until the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Twenty-four men were killed: 21 firefighters, including the fire chief, and three civilians. The first alarm rang out at 4 a.m. and the response was heavy because of the nature of the stockyards. As the Tribune reported the next day, "Every fireman knows what a stockyard fire means. The men knew of the treachery of the ancient shells of grease soaked wood and shaky brick walls. ... Chicago firemen cherish no illusions when they go in to strangle a big fire at the yards with their hands."

The firefighters were forced to battle the blaze from a narrow railroad platform, boxed in behind by train cars, with a "rotten ancient wooden canopy" above them. Access to the building was limited by adjacent structures and fire walls that forced the flames, heat and smoke in one direction. Into this inferno rushed the firemen. They had no chance.

"There was no warning to the men pent up in the narrow gallery," the Tribune reported Dec. 23. "There was a dull roar and simultaneously the great front wall, six stories of solid brick, moved outward about ten feet, and dropped."

The Tribune's front page was remarkable, a visual presentation that was at least 50 years ahead of its time. Page 1 carried no stories but was dominated by a photograph and a list of the deceased. Inside, the coverage filled most of seven pages, carrying numerous striking photos from the scene, illustrative graphics and mug shots of the deceased.


 
CLICK on above image to enlarge
Document
CLICK on PDF icon to view and or print the full story
 
,
,

The Chicago Stockyards Fire Memorial Honors the Fallen 21 and Firefighters of All Eras

A timeless element of Chicago history and legacy

 
 
,
Union Stockyard Fire of May, 1934
,
https://chicagology.com/notorious-
chicago/1934stockyardfire/

CLICK on above link to view the complete story
,



 
 
 
 
Most Chicago Fire Dept. Classic Audio & Video's can be found at YouTube.com ChicagoFD1
CLICK on above image to link with https://www.youtube.com/user/ChicagoFD1
 
ChicagoFD1 Channel
 
Most Chicago Fire Dept. Classic Audio & Video's can be found at DailyMotion.com ChicagoFD2
CLICK on above image to link with ChicagoFD2 on DailyMotion
CLICK on above icon to link w/ ChicagoFD2 video Channel on DailyMotion
 
CLICK on the 100 CLUB of ILLINOIS icon, to donate NOW!
 
 
CLICK on above image to link w/ the C.F.D. Gold Badge Society
 
 
CLICK on the 100 CLUB of ILLINOIS icon, to donate NOW!
 
 
CLICK on above icon to link to the CPD Memorial website
CLICK on above icon to link to the CPD Memorial website
 
This website is updated regularly!

This website is NOT
affiliated with the 

City of Chicago.

***************************************

This is the OFFICIAL website of the former
Chicago Civil Defense Fire & Rescue Division
with Company Quarters formerly located at
1244 N. Well St. (Old Town)
,
and the
,
Chicago Fire Department 
E.P.D.S. Emergency Services Unit with 
Company Quarters formerly located at 
1653 W. 43rd St. (Back of the Yards)

Anyone interested in submitting any related photo's,
video's , etc. or document's to this website, is encouraged 
to contact this website at the Contact Us link below,
or for more information and details you my reach
us at the link below,

> > > > >  Contact Us < < < < <

-----------------------------------------

Last Updated  - Sunday 04/20/2025

************************************

[ This website launched November 10, 2007 ]