Chicago — April 25, 2024 —
The Chicago Fire Department is mourning the loss of Firefighter David Meyer, who died in the line of duty battling a garage fire on the cityS West Side. The incident, which occurred Wednesday morning, is under investigation as a suspected arson. A person is currently in custody related to the death of the firefighter, but few details have been released. The investigation into the cause is ongoing, and more details will be released as it becomes available.
Person in Custody After Firefighter Death in Chicago
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Chicago, IL – A somber cloud hangs over the Chicago Fire Department following the death of Firefighter David Meyer, 54, a 28-year veteran. Meyer died Wednesday after battling a garage fire on the city’s West Side. Authorities have a person of interest in custody as of Thursday morning, according too police reports. No further details have been released.
The Incident
The fire erupted Wednesday morning in the 1200 block of North Pine Avenue. According to Fire Department spokesperson Larry Langford, the blaze was intentionally set when someone ignited the contents of a garbage bin. The flames quickly spread to a nearby residential garage.
Fire Department crews successfully extinguished the garage fire.However, tragedy struck as firefighters were clearing the scene. Fire Department Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt explained that the garage’s roof collapsed on Meyer
.
A Fallen Hero
Meyer, who had risen to the rank of captain, was rushed to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Nance-Holt mourned the loss of a dedicated firefighter, stating:
He spent most of his career on the West Side, in busy firehouses, doing what he loved to do. It’s one of those things. We go to work every day and we never know if we’re going to come home. But this is what he loved to do and he was really good at it.
Annette Nance-Holt, Fire Department Commissioner
Meyer previously served as a lieutenant on truck 35 before becoming a captain with truck 29, both located on the West Side.
Community Concerns
Residents in the area have expressed concerns about a recent string of garage fires. Elio Alonso, who owns the two-story home at 1239 N. Pine Ave., where the garage fire originated, noted a troubling pattern. For the last almost year ther have been a couple garages that have been burning up,
Alonso said. We don’t know exactly what’s going on.
Alonso recounted being awakened by officers who alerted him and his family to the fire. Initially, he believed it was an accident. However, the subsequent investigation by the fire department and the ATF led him to suspect a connection to the other recent blazes.
Alonso, a father of five and grandfather of five, expressed his grief, saying, To wake up in the morning and see somebody’s passed away … my heart is broken. I got my family … so if something happens to them, that would be devastating.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: Where did the fire occur?
A: The fire occurred in the 1200 block of North Pine Avenue on Chicago’s West Side.
- Q: Who was the firefighter who died?
A: firefighter David Meyer, a 28-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department.
- Q: What is the status of the investigation?
A: A person of interest is in custody,but no further details have been released.
- Q: What caused the fire?
A: The fire was allegedly started when someone ignited the contents of a garbage bin.
