Chicago Fire Department 'Broken' By Second Firefighter Death In 2 Days

CHICAGO — A second Chicago firefighter has died in an as many days while battling an extra alarm fire Wednesday morning in a high-rise building on the city’s Gold Coast. Three other firefighters were injured, who in fair to serious condition, CFD officials said.

Lt. Jan Tchoryk, 55, had served in the Chicago Fire Department for almost two decades. His son Dylan is a rookie officer for the Chicago Police Department.

CFD tweeted that firefighters responded to a high-rise fire at 1212 N. DuSable Lake Shore Drive around 7:20 a.m. Wednesday, where a fire had broken out in a “very large apartment” on the 27th floor.

The building lost elevator service and at around 8 a.m., Tchoryk was leading his crew from Tower Ladder 10 up the stairs to the 27th floor “when he went down.” His crew began performing CPR in the stairwell, and the fallen firefighter was brought down to the lobby, where firefighters continued CPR, according to fire officials. Tchoryk was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

CFD Commissioner Nance Holt said Tchoryk was a Desert Storm veteran. He was an avid outdoorsman, a motorcyclist, and had a large family.

The fire was initially out at 8:55 a.m. and firefighters were working on hotspots, when the flames roared up again. CFD photos and video of the 35-story building show a ball of fire emanating from the 27th floor unit.

Firefighters struck the blaze at 9:30 a.m. The 35-story, high rise was built in 1970 and had 179 units, according to online information. Fire officials said the floor did not have sprinklers.
Two residents were also injured and brought to the hospital.

On Tuesday, CFD firefighter Jermaine Pelt, 49, died while fighting a house fire on the South Side.
Holt called the second line-of-duty death in two days “unprecedented.”

“This job is dangerous, and you never know if you are coming home,” Holt said. “I have two funerals to prepare for, two grieving families and a huge department that’s broken, including the command staff.”

Firefighter's 2 Remaining Children Die After Fire Claims Wife, Son

Tchoryk's death is onl the latest tragedy for CFD. Last month, Firefighter Walter Stewart lost his wife and three children in a house fire.