2 Firefighters Killed In Abandoned Building Collapse

A total of 14 injured battling abandoned building blaze
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 22, 2010 12:22 PM CST

Two Chicago firefighters died today after the wall of a burning building collapsed on them. Crews were trying to put out a fire in an abandoned South Side commercial building when the wall collapsed, trapping four firefighters and injuring 12 others, the Chicago Tribune reports. All four of the trapped men were rescued, but two died of the injuries they had sustained.

Of the remaining firefighters, the fire department says that four are in the hospital in critical condition, while another 10 are in stable condition. “They worked hard, got them out fast,” the fire commissioner said. The incident happens to come on the 100th anniversary of the infamous Union Stockyards fire, which killed 21 Chicago firefighters—the single greatest loss of professional, big-city firefighters until the 9/11 attacks. (More firefighters stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X