Old Chicago 5-11 Photo

[Guest]

I was surfing through my collection..kinda bored cause I haven't shot any fire photos in a while. I found this shot and thought I would share it because it's relevant to our recent turret wagon photos. I am not sure of the source of this photo..might be a CFD negative..I do know it is not one I took. A few interesting things to see...truck 2 is using an old Mack magirus and you can see how they had to use a ground ladder to ascend to the main ladder...really gotta wonder what the designers were thinking there...and ya gotta wonder even more why the heck did CFD buy these??!!!!??? Prominently in the photo is the original "Big Mo"..turret wagon with lots of lines hooked up and sporting the CD paint job of white over blue. This thing changed paint schemes like a chameleon changes colors.The other detail I could pick out was what I remember as snorkel 4...it had a stripping ladder mounted on the boom, easily accessible from the basket. Snorkels weren't just elevated master streams..before tower ladders they did lots of regular truck work too. The fire is downtown somewhere and I estimate the time frame as the mid 70s..

 

5-11 alarm at 952 N. Michigan Ave. on 02-05-71.   some type of art institute or museum.