Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Courtney Hodges |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Captain |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 46 to 50 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 1/3/1928 |
| Cause of Death | Struck by object |
| 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 | 1/3/1928 |
| Incident Location | Storage , Vacant property |
| Incident Attribute | Structural collapses , Fires |
Incident Summary
On January 3, 1928, Chicago Fire Department Captain Courtney J. Hodges of Engine 41 died in the line of duty while fighting a fire in a vacant barn on West 48th Street. The first firefighters to arrive on scene, Hodges and three firefighters from his company were operating inside the two-story barn when the roof collapsed. The firefighters were buried in the burning debris, and Hodges did not survive his injuries. Hodges had been promoted to captain that morning, and the barn fire was the first alarm in which he was in command.
Seventy-five firefighters acted as an honorary escort during the funeral services held for Hodges on January 7, and he was buried in Montrose Cemetery.
Citations:
“Fire Captain Is Killed in Night Blaze,” Chicago Daily Tribune, January 3, 1928.
“Firefighters to Honor Hodges in Rites Saturday,” Chicago Daily Tribune, January 4, 1928.
Firefighter and Incident Images
