2 Chicago Firefighters Killed Battling Separate Blazes a Day Apart: 'Unprecedented,' Commissioner Says

Two Chicago firefighters died in the line of duty a day apart this week — in back-to-back tragedies the city fire commissioner called “unprecedented” at apress conference Wednesday.While fighting a blaze at a high-rise apartment building in the Gold Coast neighborhood on Wednesday, Lt. Jan Tchoryk, 55, collapsed in an 11th floor stairwell while leading his team to the site of the fire, which broke out in an apartment on the 27th floor.Crews performed CPR on Tchoryk at the scene before he was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he died of his injuries, Chicago Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt told reporters.Chicago Fire Department (2)“This has been a tragic week for us,” Nance-Holt said. “Unprecedented.“In a tweet about the incident, the Chicago Fire Department noted that thehigh-rise did not have sprinklers on the 27th floor, where the fire broke out — but at Wednesday’s press conference, Nance-Holt said she believed the entire building lacked sprinklers.Apartment fire at Gold Coast high-rise building.Chicago Fire DepartmentThree other firefighters were injured in the blaze and transported to the hospital in fair to serious condition. Two civilians were also treated, Nance-Holt said.Tchoryk had served on the fire department since 1997, and his son Dylan recently graduated from the Chicago Police Academy. At the press conference, Nance-Holt said Tchoryk was “an active outdoorsman,” as well as a motorcyclist and a Navy veteran with a big extended family.Expressing her condolences, Mayor Lori Lightfoot described Tchoryk’s family as being “in shock, and the grief is setting in.““Firefighters, like police officers, run towards danger, when the rest of us run in the other direction,” she also noted.Tchoryk’s death was the second fatality in the Chicago Fire Department this week. Just before 3:40 a.m. on Tuesday, firefighterJermaine Pelt, 49, died while manning a hose line in a burning home in the West Pullman neighborhood. The blaze had spread between three houses, according to CBS News, and huge flames and smoke plumes were reportedly visible at the scene.Pelt “went down” as all on-site firefighters were ordered to evacuate the burning building, Nance-Holt saidat a press conferenceafter Pelt’s death. His lieutenant soon found him collapsed inside. “When they pulled the line out, he wasn’t there, and they pulled him out,” Nance-Holt said.Pelt died of carbon monoxide toxicity from inhaling soot and smoke, reports state. Two other firefighters were injured in that blaze, and one was temporarily missing but was safely recovered later.Pelt had worked for the department for 18 years, according to the Chicago Fire Department’s Twitter page. He had recently escorted his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day, Nance-Holt tearfully saidat the press conferenceafter the incident, noting that his daughter was on her honeymoon when he died. Pelt also had a 6-year-old child.The Chicago Fire Department acknowledged bothdeaths on Facebook, writing, “In the span of two days, the Chicago Fire Department has mournfully suffered the loss of two of its members while on duty. Lieutenant Jan Tchoryk is the latest member to have given their life while battling a high-rise fire.“One day earlier, the department posted that it was “deeply saddened to announce the passing of Firefighter/EMT Jermaine Pelt, who lost his life while bravely fighting a fire in the line of duty early this morning.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The two fallen firefighters received a moment of silence Wednesday night,ABC reports.“I also want to take a moment to acknowledge our brothers and sisters of the Chicago Fire Department as they grieve tremendous losses over the last two days,” Interim Chicago Police Superintendent Eric Carter said, according to the report.“We train every day to do our very best … But fires are unpredictable. Right now I have two funerals to prepare for, two grieving families, and a huge department that’s broken, including the command staff,” Nance-Holt said at Wednesday’s press conference. “They are devastated.“Funeral plans for both men are undetermined. Donations for Pelt’s family can bemade here.PEOPLE was unable to immediately reach the The Chicago Fire Department for comment.

Two Chicago firefighters died in the line of duty a day apart this week — in back-to-back tragedies the city fire commissioner called “unprecedented” at apress conference Wednesday.

While fighting a blaze at a high-rise apartment building in the Gold Coast neighborhood on Wednesday, Lt. Jan Tchoryk, 55, collapsed in an 11th floor stairwell while leading his team to the site of the fire, which broke out in an apartment on the 27th floor.

Crews performed CPR on Tchoryk at the scene before he was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he died of his injuries, Chicago Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt told reporters.

Chicago Fire Department (2)

“This has been a tragic week for us,” Nance-Holt said. “Unprecedented.”

In a tweet about the incident, the Chicago Fire Department noted that thehigh-rise did not have sprinklers on the 27th floor, where the fire broke out — but at Wednesday’s press conference, Nance-Holt said she believed the entire building lacked sprinklers.

Apartment fire at Gold Coast high-rise building.Chicago Fire Department

Three other firefighters were injured in the blaze and transported to the hospital in fair to serious condition. Two civilians were also treated, Nance-Holt said.

Tchoryk had served on the fire department since 1997, and his son Dylan recently graduated from the Chicago Police Academy. At the press conference, Nance-Holt said Tchoryk was “an active outdoorsman,” as well as a motorcyclist and a Navy veteran with a big extended family.

Expressing her condolences, Mayor Lori Lightfoot described Tchoryk’s family as being “in shock, and the grief is setting in.”

“Firefighters, like police officers, run towards danger, when the rest of us run in the other direction,” she also noted.

Tchoryk’s death was the second fatality in the Chicago Fire Department this week. Just before 3:40 a.m. on Tuesday, firefighterJermaine Pelt, 49, died while manning a hose line in a burning home in the West Pullman neighborhood. The blaze had spread between three houses, according to CBS News, and huge flames and smoke plumes were reportedly visible at the scene.

Pelt “went down” as all on-site firefighters were ordered to evacuate the burning building, Nance-Holt saidat a press conferenceafter Pelt’s death. His lieutenant soon found him collapsed inside. “When they pulled the line out, he wasn’t there, and they pulled him out,” Nance-Holt said.

Pelt died of carbon monoxide toxicity from inhaling soot and smoke, reports state. Two other firefighters were injured in that blaze, and one was temporarily missing but was safely recovered later.

Pelt had worked for the department for 18 years, according to the Chicago Fire Department’s Twitter page. He had recently escorted his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day, Nance-Holt tearfully saidat the press conferenceafter the incident, noting that his daughter was on her honeymoon when he died. Pelt also had a 6-year-old child.

The Chicago Fire Department acknowledged bothdeaths on Facebook, writing, “In the span of two days, the Chicago Fire Department has mournfully suffered the loss of two of its members while on duty. Lieutenant Jan Tchoryk is the latest member to have given their life while battling a high-rise fire.”

One day earlier, the department posted that it was “deeply saddened to announce the passing of Firefighter/EMT Jermaine Pelt, who lost his life while bravely fighting a fire in the line of duty early this morning.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The two fallen firefighters received a moment of silence Wednesday night,ABC reports.

“I also want to take a moment to acknowledge our brothers and sisters of the Chicago Fire Department as they grieve tremendous losses over the last two days,” Interim Chicago Police Superintendent Eric Carter said, according to the report.

“We train every day to do our very best … But fires are unpredictable. Right now I have two funerals to prepare for, two grieving families, and a huge department that’s broken, including the command staff,” Nance-Holt said at Wednesday’s press conference. “They are devastated.”

Funeral plans for both men are undetermined. Donations for Pelt’s family can bemade here.

PEOPLE was unable to immediately reach the The Chicago Fire Department for comment.

source: people.com