CHICAGO (WBBM) -- An unveiling today of a statue dedicated to a Chicago firefighter killed 31 years ago - a statue which will be part of a larger memorial set to open in the spring of 2009, outside Engine 13 in the 200 block of North Columbus Drive.
His name was Walter Watroba. A Chicago firefighter.
On November 22, 1976, Watroba was called to a fire at what was then a Comed plant at Cermak and Carpenter.
Watroba was a member of Engine 13, like his friend, Robert Lewandowski, now 72 years old.
"He was my friend. My brother. He was beautiful."
Lewandowski and Watroba and others were on the roof of the power plant that night.
"God, I remember everything. I remember the four of us being up on the roof. I remember the difficulties we were having."
Then - a cracking sound. And a collapse. And Watroba was trapped under a coal conveyor.
"He was conscious. The first thing out of his mouth was, is the company all right."
After seven hours of being trapped, Watroba died.
His bronze memorial includes a firefighter's jacket draped over a steel column. At the base: a pair of boots.
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