Upcoming Moments in Chicago History: Union Stock Yards Fire

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 21, 2010 8:30PM

Tomorrow marks an ignominous moment in Chicago's history. 100 years ago on Dec. 22, a fire at the Union Stock Yards grew so large that it resulted in the deaths of 21 firemen.

The fire broke out at 4;09 a.m. at Warehouse 7 of the Nelson Morris Company in the stock yards complex at 4300 S. Loomis. Within a half-hour the fire was classified as a 4-11 blaze. More than 30 fire engines were called to the scene. The fire was eventually extinguished at 6:37 a.m. Dec. 23, 1910. 50 engine companies and 7 hook and ladder companies had been called to the scene.

Among the 21 firemen killed in the fire was Fire Marshall James J. Horan, who was in one of the blazing buildings when it collapsed. The Union Stock Yards fire claimed the largest number of firefighters lives until the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Tribune spoke with John Rice, a descendant of Horan, today about the shame his family felt in speaking about the fire, and Rice's own personal search to find out more about his great-grandfather's involvement in fighting the fire. "I decided to find out if he was a dumb guy," Rice told the Tribune. "I discovered he was an incredible hero, a visionary."

A monument was erected at the site of the fire in 2004.