| Name | Leonard Nebel |
| Agency | Palatine Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Volunteer |
| Age Range | 36 to 40 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 10/1/1946 |
| Cause of Death | Vehicle collision |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Emergency vehicle operations , Responding to/returning from incident |
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Palatine |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 10/1/1946 |
| Incident Location | Street/Road |
| Incident Attribute | Traffic accidents |
On October 1, 1946, two volunteer firefighters from the Palatine Fire Department were fatally injured in the line of duty while responding to a fire when their fire truck collided with a Chicago and Northwestern Railroad passenger train.
The fire engine was destroyed in the collision, and the vehicle was dragged by the moving train for nearly 100 feet.
Firefighter Leonard Nebel died instantly, and was survived by his widow and five children.
Firefighter Wesley R. Comfort, Jr., son of the fire chief, was treated at Palatine Community Hospital, but died from his injuries on October 5.
Citations:
“Volunteer Fire Truck Strikes Train; 1 Killed,” Chicago Daily Tribune, October 2, 1946.