United States Fire Administration
23 April 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Captain David Meyer, 54, of the Chicago Fire Department on 23 April 2025.
As members of the Chicago Fire Department began salvage and overhaul after extinguishing a garage fire, Captain David Meyer was critically injured when the garage collapsed. A mayday was called immediately. Captain Meyer was then transported to Stroger Hospital where he later passed away from the injuries he sustained.
Age: 54
Rank: Captain
Classification: Career
Incident date: Apr. 23, 2025 4:03 AM
Date of death: Apr. 23, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Collapse
Nature of fatal injury: Crushed
Activity type: Salvage and Overhaul
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Storage
The number of on-duty deaths for 2025 is currently 26.
Go here to read the number of interior line of duty deaths for 2025.
Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.
For more information about on-duty deaths as recorded by the United States Fire Administration go to “Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.”
Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Fire Department/X.
Data Not Drama 