New details emerge on garage fire that killed Chicago Fire Department captain

After a garage fire killed Chicago Fire Department Captain David Meyer, NBC Chicago is learning new details.

The family who lives at the home of the garage told NBC Chicago there have been several fires reported in that same alley where the firefighter lost his life.

A person of interest remains in custody as of Thursday and no charges have been filed yet, according to Chicago police.

Demolition crews could be seen tearing down the garage that killed the fire captain 24 hours ago in the Austin neighborhood.

“I’m honestly so heartbroken about what happened,” said Miriam Alonso, neighbor.

Alonso left flowers and started a memorial at the scene to honor the fire captain and said her family garage caught fire early Wednesday morning near Crystal Street and Pine Avenue.

“It’s very traumatizing I’m pretty sure I can speak for all of us who witnessed it like that it’s still stuck in our heads,” Alonso said.

Alonso said she and her brother were sleeping Wednesday night when their dog alerted them to the fire believed to be caused by someone igniting a trash bin nearby.

“It was a scary thing to be woken up just like that,” said Elio Alonso. “We were all in shock we’re like what’s happening.”

Moments after putting out the flames, investigators said the garage collapsed and critically injured Meyer, who died at the hospital. The 28-year veteran worked at the busy fire house in Austin and leaves behind a wife, three daughters, and a son.

The Alonso family left stunned and heartbroken, saying they felt so helpless that they couldn’t do anything to save him.

“Everything in that garage was materialistic, but his life wasn’t,” she said. “I’m just grateful that he even tried in the first place, I just never...I just wished it didn’t have to come to that.”

The Chicago Fire Department confirms firefighters were called to at least half a dozen fires in the area in recent weeks and months. Five of them on Crystal Street damaged two garages.

While Chicago police continue to investigate to see if these cases are connected, Miriam wants to offer her condolences to the captain’s family and prays that someone will be held accountable.

“Your actions always have consequences,” she said. “If this is the person, you’re doing it for a while—at the end of the day it’s going to come back to you.”

As for the person of interest in Austin, investigators said they worked with the ATF to track down the person’s movement using information from witnesses and forensic evidence.

Meanwhile, investigators are still trying to determine what caused multiple garage fires in Dunning and Lincoln Park.