Overview

• Captain David Meyer, 54, died in the line of duty when a garage collapsed during salvage operations following a fire in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood early on April 23.
• Investigators determined the fire was deliberately set by igniting trash-bin contents, and the case is now being treated as a criminal investigation with ATF assistance.
• Meyer, a father of four and 28-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department, was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital after the incident.
• City and fire department leaders, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, have publicly mourned Meyer’s death, calling him a hero and urging community support for his family.
• The Austin neighborhood has seen a recent pattern of trash-bin fires, complicating the investigation into the blaze that claimed Meyer’s life.