Grain elevator fire at 102nd and Calumet River

The most spectacular fire involving grain elevators on the Southeast Side occurred on May 11, 1939 on a slip near 102nd and the Calumet River. An explosion occurred at the Rosenbaum Elevator A near Commercial Avenue on the north side of Slip No. 2 on the Calumet River. The fire spread to Elevators B and C progressing eastward toward the river. The fire then jumped the 100 foot wide slip to the south and ignited the Norris elevators No. 1 and No. 2. By the time the fire ended 5 elevators were destroyed and 9 individuals were killed. 20 railroad freight cars were also burned in the 4 million dollar blaze. The Chicago Fire Department had two fireboats at the scene which helped put the fire out relatively quickly. Crowds estimated at 25,000 watched firemen battle the blaze. Fires at the site continued to break out sporadically and the remains of the fire gave off a stench for several months. This photo shows the Norris Grain Elevators A and B along the south side of Slip No. 2 on the Calumet River. These elevators, along with three additional elevators on the north side of the slip, would eventually be totally destroyed by the fire. In the distance to the left is the Rialto Grain Elevator along the Calumet River Slip No. 4 built in 1902 which became part of the General Mills plant in 1929. This elevator and the General Mills plant were unaffected by the 1939 fire due to their distance from the blaze.