The images below capture the scene from Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1962. A 4-11 Alarm fire broke out at 1365–75 East 70th Street around 11:15 a.m. About an hour and a half later, firefighters were working inside the third floor when the structure began to collapse. At approximately 12:45 p.m., Commissioner Quinn ordered all personnel to evacuate as the roof started to sag. As the firefighters made their way out, the west wall and roof collapsed, trapping three men beneath the debris.
Chief Robert O’Brien, 52, of the Fire Prevention Bureau, and Battalion Chief Thomas Hoff, 43, were buried under the rubble in the basement. Hoff’s driver, Edward Stack, was also caught in the collapse but managed to escape unharmed by rolling through a first-floor doorway. An inquest into the deaths of O’Brien and Hoff was inconclusive regarding the cause of the fire, though it was initially believed to have been due to a faulty furnace in the basement.
Interestingly, Chief O’Brien had a personal connection to Mayor Richard J. Daley, having grown up just five doors down from the Daley family on Lowe Street. His friendship with the mayor added a layer of tragedy to the event, highlighting the deep ties between local leaders and the fire department during that era.
4-11 Alarm fire at 1365–75 East 70th Street in Chicago, February 14, 1962. Photographer unknown, from the collection of Eric Haak.
4-11 Alarm fire at 1365–75 East 70th Street in Chicago, February 14, 1962. Photographer unknown, from the collection of Eric Haak.
4-11 Alarm fire at 1365–75 East 70th Street in Chicago, February 14, 1962. Photographer unknown, from the collection of Eric Haak.
4-11 Alarm fire at 1365–75 East 70th Street in Chicago, February 14, 1962. Photographer unknown, from the collection of Eric Haak.
4-11 Alarm fire at 1365–75 East 70th Street in Chicago, February 14, 1962. Photographer unknown, from the collection of Eric Haak.
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