Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Ernest Giese |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 26 to 30 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 11/30/1900 |
| Date of Death | 4/9/1928 |
| Cause of Death | Fall |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 3/24/1928 |
| Incident Location | Residential |
| Incident Attribute | Structural collapses , Fires |
Incident Summary
On March 24, 1928, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Ernest Giese of Truck 18 was fatally injured in the line of duty while fighting a residential fire at the intersection of 48th and South State Streets. The fire was on the fourth floor rear porch of a rooming house, and as firefighters from Truck 18 and Engine 50 were climbing up to the fire, the porch collapsed. Six firefighters were caught in the collapse, and Giese broke his back when he was thrown several stories to the ground. Giese was treated at Lakeside Hospital, but he was unable to recover. He died on April 9.
Citations:
“Six Firemen Injured by 3 Story Fall,” Chicago Daily Tribune, March 24, 1928.
“Fireman Dies; Back Broken During Blaze,” Chicago Daily Tribune, April 10, 1928.
Firefighter and Incident Images
