Money raised to benefit families of fallen Chicago firefighters
CHICAGO (CBS) – Chicago firefighters are trying to cope with not one, but two, unexpected deaths in as many days.
The tight-knit department is now working to raise money for those they leave behind – because as CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported Thursday night, the first responders who lost their lives weren't just colleagues, they were family.
"This is really hard," Capt. Anthony Martin, of Truck 45 and the CFD Widows & Children's fund. "It's hard for all of us."
On Wednesday, fire Lt. Jan Tchoryk, 55, died while fighting a high-rise fire in the high-rise at 1212 N. Lake Shore Dr. in the Gold Coast.
Tchoryk and his team were climbing up 27 flights of stairs to get on the fire. The elevators were down because of the water used to fight the flames. He collapsed on the 11th floor. CPR was not enough.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office ruled his cause of death to be a type of cardiovascular disease, and the manner of death was natural.
The Chicago Fire Department ruled the cause of the high-rise fire to be accidental.
A day earlier, firefighter Jermaine Pelt, 49, was manning a hose line in a house at 12019 S. Wallace St. in West Pullman – to which a fire had spread from a neighboring house. Fire officials said conditions worsened, and all firefighters were ordered out of the building.
But they say Pelt "went down" just as the order was issued. His lieutenant quickly found him near the hose line. He died soon afterward – and bunting was also raised at his Engine Company 115 firehouse at 1024 W. 119th St.
The Medical Examiner's office said Pelt died from carbon monoxide poisoning from inhaling smoke and soot.
"We're going to be there for these families not just today, but forever," Martin said.
And now, the firefighter community is raising money for their fallen colleagues' families.
The department's Widows' & Children's Fund is putting together scholarship and memorial funds for Pelt and Tchoryk's children.
"We have a lot of people that volunteer a lot of themselves in order for us to be able to put something together where we can guarantee all the money that comes into our organization is going to go to support Jermaine's son and similarly situated children," Martin said.
We also spoke by phone with a long friend of Tchoryk's. News of his passing was a shock – but he shared how dedicated Tchodyk was to his firefighter family and his craft.
"He knew the dedication that was involved in becoming a fireman," said Dean Michna. "I'm sure he was sure that he was sure he was going to be able to do the 27 floors with his men."
And as the first responders fight to move forward for their colleagues' families, grasping the unexpected losses will take time.
"I've never seen anything like this back-to-back," Martin said. "I mean, we're recovering from one tragedy which is still ongoing – and then you have another incident like what happened with our lieutenant up north. It's also gut wrenching."
The cause OF the fire near 120th and Wallace streets is still under investigation. The Gold Coast fire was started by combustible material in one of the condos getting too close to a hot appliance.