Chicago fire captain, father of 4 killed in line of duty after garage collapse

UPDATE: A person of interest was in custody as of Thursday morning, Chicago police said. Our latest story can be found here. Our original story continues below.

A Chicago fire captain and a father of four died in the line of duty Wednesday when a garage collapsed as firefighters were assessing damage after putting out a blaze earlier that morning.

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Captain David Meyer, a 28-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department, died at Stroger Hospital after being transported in critical condition from the scene of a fire in the city's Austin neighborhood.

The fire began about 4:15 a.m. at a garage 5505 W. Crystal St., the Chicago Fire Department said. Around 5:40 a.m., a mayday call was issued for a Chicago firefighter injured, possibly by a falling beam.

"Companies were outside the garage starting salvage and overhaul when the garage collapsed," Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said during a press conference Wednesday.

Officials said the cause of the fire remained under investigation, with CFD saying authorities received information of several recent trash can fires in the area.

The 54-year-old firefighter leaves behind a wife, three daughters and a son, Nance-Holt said.

One of his daughters attends the University of Iowa and was still at school when she learned the news. Chicago officials thanked university police for helping to transport her to Chicago.

Meyer's wife told Chicago officials he was the rock of their family. The two had been together since they were 15 years old.

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"We go to work every day and we never know if we're going to come home," she said. "This is what he loved to do and he was really good at it."

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called Meyer "a hero, courageous, brave and bold."

"This is a tremendous loss for the Meyer family, for the Chicago Fire Department and the entire city of Chicago... this is truly a remarkable testament of those who love this city and those who are willing to pay this sacrifice to keep us all safe," he said.