With a significant rise in on-duty fatalities this year, the Chicago Fire Department

is grappling with its fourth line-of-duty death. This marks the highest number of firefighter

fatalities in a single year over the past 25 years, as noted by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Each death, unique in circumstance but equally impactful, offers a stern reminder of the everyday risks faced by fire professionals. The latest casualty is Andrew “Drew” Price, a 39-year-old senior firefighter. Price lost his life in a tragic accident during a fire incident in Lincoln Park by falling through a skylight shaft while trying to create ventilation holes on a building’s roof, NBC Chicago confirmed. Despite immediate efforts from his colleagues to rescue him, extracting him from the scene proved challenging. Known as a “light of sunshine” by his peers, Price’s death serves as a reminder of the peril firefighters face as they serve their communities, per the Battalion Chief Michael McCormick via NBC Chicago. Recalling his life and service, McCormick said, “He was a lovely man. Very healthy. He took extremely good care of himself and his family.”

The unfortunate sequence of fatalities within the Chicago Fire Department originated in April. Firefighter Jermaine Pelt died from smoke inhalation and Lt. Jan Tchoryk suffered a fatal heart attack during separate fire incidents. In August, Lt. Kevin Ward experienced a fatal injury while struggling with a fire in Norwood Park, NBC Chicago reported. The last comparable death toll in the department dates back to 1998, as the Chicago Sun-Times highlighted. Reflecting on the unfortunate series of incidents, Department spokesperson Larry Langford said, “It hurts to the bone.” His sentiments were published in the Chicago Sun-Times. Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt echoed the department’s pain and resolve during a press conference, saying “We all love what we do, we understand that when we go to work it could be our last.” Though their brave sacrifices leave behind many mourning loved ones and colleagues, they also offer a testimony to the unyielding courage and devotion of Chicago’s firefighter force. The city, standing by the bereaved families and the firefighter fraternity, honors these inspiring individuals, their stories far from forgotten.