41st Anniversary of Naperville LODD
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On December 7, 1970, a tragic accident claimed the lives of three Naperville firefighters while they were en route to respond to a house fire. Bill Friedrich shared a link to the Illinois Fire Service Institute’s Firefighter Record, which provides a detailed account of the incident. The report includes valuable documents such as radio logs, the original accident report, and photographs from the scene.
According to the incident summary, the Naperville Fire Department received an emergency call at 7:55 AM for a house fire located west of the city. A fire engine carrying five firefighters was dispatched, but tragedy struck when the vehicle collided with a semi-trailer at the intersection of Illinois Routes 59 and 65. This particular intersection had been the site of several fatal accidents in the past, and traffic signals had only been installed there two weeks before the crash.
The collision was severe enough to throw Lieutenant Richard Rechenmacher, Engineer Jerry Herring, and Firefighter Bernard Petrowski from the cab of the fire truck, all of whom died instantly. Firefighter Mike Hill was seriously injured and taken to the hospital, while Firefighter James Heinke, who was on the tailboard, escaped without harm.
In the aftermath, mutual aid units from the Moecherville Fire Department arrived at the house fire, and the Downers Grove Fire Department sent additional personnel and equipment to assist the Naperville team. The incident remains a somber reminder of the dangers faced by first responders during emergency calls.
The report also features a photo showing the crushed cab of the Naperville Mack-C engine and the overturned semi-truck. Another image displays a 1967 Mack C95F engine, likely the same model involved in the accident. These visuals help provide a clearer understanding of the event and its impact on the community.