Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | John Grasser |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 41 to 45 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 5/4/1978 |
| Cause of Death | Fall , Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Trauma , Burns |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations , Ventilation operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 5/4/1978 1:0 |
| Incident Location | Residential |
| Incident Attribute | Fires |
Incident Summary
On March 4, 1978, Firefighter John Grasser of the Chicago Fire Department died in the line of duty while fighting a fire in two adjoining apartment buildings on West Taylor Street. A twelve-year-veteran with Hook and Ladder Company 26, Grasser was ventilating the roof of one of the buildings amid thick smoke when he fell into an airshaft between the adjoining structures.
Citations:
Jerry Thornton, “Apartment building blaze kills fireman,” Chicago Tribune, May 5, 1978.
Obituary of John Grasser, Chicago Tribune, May 7, 1978.
Frank Hanes, “Taps for a fallen firefighter,” Chicago Tribune, May 9, 1978.
Firefighter and Incident Images
