Lieutenant Howard Crowell

Cicero Fire Department

Date of Death: August 9, 1978

On Wednesday, August 9, 1978, the Cicero Fire Department was dispatched to a reported residential structure fire on Belnor Drive, off Lakeshore Road. As the plectrons activated and Station #1’s siren sounded, Lieutenant Crowell—who was home at the time—began responding from his residence in the 5700 block of Route 31. While driving toward the call, Lieutenant Crowell suffered a heart attack as he approached the intersection of Route 31 and Route 11. He lost consciousness, and his vehicle continued through the intersection, striking a telephone pole outside Jack Palus Drug Store. When the incident was reported to Fire Control, responding crews were suddenly faced with two simultaneous emergencies: a working residential fire and a serious motor vehicle accident involving one of their own.