Firefighter Walter Watroba

Firefighter Walter Watroba. Engine Co. 13. On November 22, 1976, Chicago Fire Department responded to a fire at the Commonwealth Edison generating plant located at 1111 W. Cermak Road. As firefighters battled the blaze, a coal conveyor chute collapsed, trapping three firefighters beneath it on a narrow eighteen-inch ledge atop the seventy-foot tall building. , , Two of the trapped firefighters were quickly rescued, but Watroba's legs, from the mid-thigh down, were pinned between the steel chute and the concrete roof. Firefighters worked throughout the windy and snowy night to release Watroba, who remained conscious throughout the ordeal. , , After more than seven hours of rescue work, Watroba's crushed left leg was freed. With his right leg still pinned, and while suffering from smoke inhalation and internal injuries, Watroba's condition steadily declined. Amputating Watroba's right leg to free him from the rubble was the last chance to try to save his life. Dr. Joseph Cari, the Chicago Fire Department physician, assisted by CFD Paramedic Kevin Crowley, performed the two-minute surgery, on the narrow ledge in almost complete darkness. Watroba lost consciousness as he was transported from the roof to a waiting ambulance. Paramedics attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital. , , On this 40th anniversary of his death in the line of duty, the City of Chicago and the Brothers and Sisters of the Chicago Fire Department dedicate this plaque in honor of Walter Watroba and in memory of all firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice. , , Dedicated on November 22, 2016 , "Greater love has no one than this to lay down one's life for one's friends" , John 15:13.