AURORA, Ill. (AP) – A suburban Chicago fire department will honor the lives of three firefighters who died fighting a fire at a Woolworth store 85 years ago.
Thirty-seven-year-old Capt. Herbert Reiss, 48-year-old Capt. John Petersohn and 35-year-old firefighter Charles Hoffman died when an exterior wall collapsed on them as they fought the large fire at the Woolworth 5 & 10 store.
An honor guard will mark the anniversary on Friday morning by placing a wreath at the site of the Jan. 11, 1934 fire.
The fire was the most destructive blaze in Aurora history.
