Evergreen Park Mourning Death Of Firefighter Dan Capuano
(CBS) -- The Evergreen Park Fire Department is mourning the loss of part-time firefighter Dan Capuano, who died fighting a warehouse blaze Monday morning while serving with the Chicago Fire Department.
Capuano, 42, was a firefighter in Evergreen Park for more than 16 years and was also a 15-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department.
"He was a good fireman," said Evergreen Park Fire Chief Ronald Kleinhaus. "Probably the highest compliment you can give anybody... Everybody will say, when I go out the door I just want to be remembered as a good fireman. And if you looked up 'good fireman' in the dictionary, there's a picture of Dan Capuano right there. That's probably the highest compliment I can give him."
Chief Kleinhaus says when they heard the news, even firefighters who weren't on duty came into the firehouse.
"And said a couple of prayers in the kitchen and dropped the flag down to half-mast," Kleinhaus said. " Put the bunting out in front of the firehouse."
He says three families are hurting: Capuano's family at home and the Chicago and Evergreen Park firefighters.
Capuano was killed after falling through an elevator shaft while battling a fire in a vacant warehouse in the 9200 block of South Baltimore Avenue.