Update: 2 Chicago Firefighters Die In Line Of Duty

From the Chicago Tribune: "Two firefighters died after a wall collapsed during a 3-11 alarm fire at an abandoned South Side commercial building this morning, authorities said. Fourteen other firefighters were injured, including two who were trapped with the ones who died.The firefighters killed were identified as Edward Stringer and Corey Ankum.Police squad cars escorted two ambulances north on Lake Shore Drive to Northwestern as ramps were closed to clear it of traffic, according to fire communications. Stringer was one of the firefighters taken there. The condition of the other one was not known.Ankum, who had been with the department only 16 months, was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died.Late this morning, dozens of firefighters stood at attention, removing their caps and saluting, as Ankum's body was taken from the hospital and put in an ambulance. A police escort led the ambulance to the medical examiner's office.A similar procession with a dozen department vehicles left Northwestern shortly after noon with Stringer's body.The fourth firefighter buried in the rubble, and as many as 12 other firefighters with undisclosed injuries, were also taken to hospitals. Fire officials and sources said 10 were stable and six were taken to hospitals in serious to critical condition, including the two who later died."
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/12/4-firefighters-trapped-as-brick-wall-collapses.html
So, why were the firefighters in the abandoned building? Again, from the Tribune: He said the search was continued, with dozens of firefighters digging through rubble, because of the possibility that homeless people may have been in the building seeking shelter from the cold. Neighbors reported that squatters have been staying in the building, but no others were found in the rubble....
Jorico Smart, who with his father Robert have owned the car wash for 16 years, said he has called police at least a dozen times in recent years to report people trespassing in the abandoned building next door.Smart characterized the trespassers as squatters. Last month, Smart's brother called police to report a break-in. Chuck Dai, who co-owns the building with a younger brother, said he has been struggling to keep squatters from entering ever since his laundry business at the site failed about six years ago and he stopped paying property taxes on the site."It's been a tiresome battle just to keep it buttoned up and everything," said Dai, 61, speaking from another laundromat he owns nearby.
So, the firefighters go in a burning looking for the homeless who had been "living" in the building. The owner of the building try to get the police to help, but without success.
And how did the fire start? Since the building was abandoned, chances are very high there were no utilities turned on. I'd bet a dollar to donuts that some homeless person probably accidentally started a fire to stay warm and the fire go out of control. The homeless person ran out of the building and ran away because they were scared and because they ran away, they could not tell the firefighters if anyone was still in the building. And because of this, two firefighters are dead and 14 are injured.
While this may not be the only scenario, in my mind it is the most logical.
In sad irony, today marks the 100th anniversary of the Union Stockyards fire in Chicago in which 21 firefighters died in the line of duty.
Firefighter Cory Ankum has a wife and child. The other firefighter who died, Edward Stringer was single but had a pet Beagle at home.
Please keep the families of the dead and injured in your prayers, along with members of the CFD.