On March 20, 1971, Firefighter Harry E. Bielawski, assigned to Engine Company 63 of the Chicago Fire Department, died in the line of duty during an extra alarm fire at a vacant building on East 63rd Street. Bielawski and Firefighter Eugene Craven were advancing a hose line when the structure suddenly collapsed, trapping them beneath debris from the second and third floors.

Craven remained buried for two hours and suffered serious burns but was ultimately rescued. Bielawski, however, was pinned under the rubble, and despite the relentless efforts of rescuers, it took more than eleven hours and the use of two cranes to recover him.

He was survived by his wife and three children, a family who carried forward his memory long after that day. His story stands as a reminder of the risks firefighters face.

May we always remember Firefighter Harry E. Bielawski of the Chicago Fire Department.

He was survived by his wife and three children.