Dozens of Chicago Firefighters lined streets Monday afternoon to pay tribute as the body of fallen firefighter Andrew Price, who was killed Monday morning during a blaze in Lincoln Park, was escorted from Illinois Masonic Medical Center to the Cook County Medical Examiners Office.
Price's death marks the fourth line of duty death the Chicago Fire Department has seen this year.
"We all love what we do and we all know that when we go to work it may be our last," CFD Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said during a press conference Monday announcing that CFD firefighter Andrew Price, 39, had been killed while battling flames at a building in Lincoln Park. "We all realize that."
"Do we understand this? Of course we don't understand this at all," she added.
Andrew "Drew" Price, a veteran of the department who had been with CFD since March of 2009, died at Illinois Masonic Medical Center hours after he was transported in critical condition from the scene of a blaze in a building that houses apartments as well as the popular Lincoln Station restaurant.
Authorities said the situation unfolded just after 5:30 a.m. as they responded to the scene of a building in the 2400 block of Lincoln Avenue, where they said a woman had called about a kitchen fire.
Local
When firefighters arrived, they noticed "barely any smoke," but they sent some responders to the roof to "assist in vertical ventilation."
As the scene unfolded, more smoke began pouring out of the building, and with the help of additional engines, the group managed to evacuate the building and put out the flames.
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"There was still hot pockets that we were searching around when the tragedy happened," said 12th Battalion Chief Michael McCormick.
That's when McCormick said a mayday call was made.
"We had information that firefighter Price had descended down a light shaft," McCormick said, adding that Price had been cutting ventilation holes in the roof of the building. "When we first got eyes upon him firefighter Price was responsive."
McCormick said firefighters had trouble reaching Price following the accident. Once crews were able to reach him by breaking through a wall, Price was given CPR at the scene and ultimately transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in "very critical" condition.
He later passed away from his injuries.
Price described as a 'light of sunshine"
Price was described by those who knew him as a "light of sunshine."
“He was a lovely man,” McCormick said during Monday's press conference. “He was as sweet as can be. He took extremely good care of himself and his family. He was extremely healthy. “He was a light of sunshine.”
Benn Hamm, the owner of Lincoln Station Bar and Grill where the fire took place, said that his thoughts are with Price’s family.
“It’s absolutely devastating,” he said. “My brother’s a fireman. It’s not taken lightly. It’s honestly what matters to me the most right now.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson also expressed condolences for the Price family.
“Our collective hearts are heavy this morning as we mourn the passing of firefighter Andrew Price, who has fallen in the line of duty battling a fire in Lincoln Park. Andrew gave his life in service to the City of Chicago, taking his position at the front lines of a threat to our safety and community. He made the ultimate sacrifice to protect those in harm’s way – a debt we can never repay," Johnson said in a statement. "My prayers are with the Price family, his CFD colleagues and those he served with on Truck 44. The City is here to support all those who loved him during this difficult time.”
Fourth Chicago Firefighter Death This Year
Price's death marks the fourth tragedy for the Chicago Fire Department this year.
In August, Lt. Kevin Ward, 59, died after battling a blaze in Norwood Park. In April, two firefighters -- Jermaine Pelt, 49, and Jan Tchoryk, 55, were killed battling two different blazes in the city.
