"He was a loyal member doing his job. It's a dangerous job," a Chicago Fire Department official said of Meyer, 54, a veteran firefighter who died after a garage fire on the West Side.

CHICAGO - A Chicago firefighter was critically injured battling a blaze Wednesday morning in Chicago's Austin neighborhood. The Chicago Fire Department reported a mayday call after the firefighter went down in a structure fire around 5:30 a.m. at 5505 W. Crystal St. The firefighter was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.