Ceremony To Honor Firefighters Who Died In 1934 Woolworth Fire

AURORA, IL — Tuesday will mark the 88th anniversary of the tragic 1934 Woolworth fire that killed three Aurora firefighters. To honor the men who died, the Aurora Fire Department will host a short ceremony Tuesday.

Captains John Petersohn, 48, and Herbert L. Reiss, 37, along with 35-year-old firefighter Charles Hoffman were killed when part of the Woolworth building, located at 19-21 South Broadway, collapsed on them as they were working to extinguish the flames.

Visitors will gather at 9 a.m. at the site of the fire, next to The Venue on South Broadway Avenue, for the ceremony, the department announced Monday.