SUMMARY
– Chicago Fire’s success has come at a cost, with many beloved characters permanently killed off the show.
– Grief and loss are central themes in the show, impacting the characters and pushing them to their limits.
– No character is safe in Chicago Fire, as fan-favorites can unexpectedly meet tragic ends at any moment.
Chicago Fire has seen several exits over its 12 seasons, and many of the brave firefighters of Firehouse 51 have died in the show. Although it’s good to see Chicago Fire is still popular over a decade after it first premiered, that long-running success has come at a cost. While many characters have come and gone, some will not be able to have the opportunity to return, as they were permanently killed off the show. Some were even killed off at the height of their popularity, proving that no Chicago Fire character is safe.
For years, the firefighters and paramedics of Firehouse 51 have struggled to navigate through their grief while still serving the people of Chicago (with some never being able to recover from their loss). While certain characters might appear safe, and some have had the best character exits on TV that don’t involve death, there’s always a possibility a fan-favorite character can drop at any minute. The number of Chicago Fire deaths isn’t small, and with each subsequent season, it gets harder and harder to watch more characters go.
Andy Darden (Season 1, Episode 1)
Andy Died In The Line Of Duty During A Fire
Andy Darden is the first Chicago Fire death and the very first character the show killed off. Andy’s death came while fighting a fire, and it was the result of disobeying Lieutenant Matt Casey’s direct orders to fall back. This death happened before the pilot’s title card, showing how dangerous the job is for all these firefighters on every mission. Andy actor Corey Sorenson was only there for the pilot (returning in three episodes in flashbacks) and died before viewers could get to know him.
Although Darden didn’t say much, he still profoundly impacted the show. His death caused a significant rift between Casey and Kelly Severide that continued through the first season. His passing also sets up the push-and-pull relationship between Casey and Severide, which becomes a true brotherhood as they overcome their grief together. Darden’s death would eventually create more challenges for Caseywhen he chooses between helping Darden’s two sons or staying in Chicago in season 10.
Hallie Thomas (Season 1, Episode 22)
Hallie Was Murdered By Tim Campbell
Though Hallie Thomas and Matt Casey were engaged, they broke up in the first episode. Though they reconcile later in the season, Hallie ends up murdered after discovering the clinic she worked in is involved in a corrupt drug ring. When Hallie and one of the other nurses found the truth about the corruption, a career criminal named Tim Campbell struck her in the back of the head and then set the clinic on fire. The firefighters of Firehouse 51 rushed to the clinic to put out the fire and found Hallie. She died at the hospital.
This death is another stepping stone in Matt Casey’s tragic love life. However, while sad, the storyline was at least the catalyst for many future plots. Not only did it allow the writers to explore more of an emotional side to Casey, but Hallie’s death sparked an investigation that introduced the Intelligence Unit to the series and allowed the writers to set up Chicago PD. Actress Teri Reeves’s exit from the series was simply a creative decision for her character and the story.
Vince Keeler (Season 2, Episode 15)
Vince Was Murdered By Benny Severide
Vince Keeler gets involved with the Severide family when he kidnaps Kelly’s sister in a revenge plot. Severide’s father also becomes involved, even though the two have a strained relationship, and the father and son come together to save their daughter/sister. Despite being estranged, Severide and his father put their past aside for the family’s good. This act would be the first step on their long road to reconciliation. Ultimately, Keeler’s demise was one of the Chicago Fire deaths that wasn’t a tearjerker.
Keeler is one of the show’s most hated villains, and it was far from the typical emotional death that quickly became a trademark of Chicago Fire. Keeler ended up arrested but was released thanks to mysterious connections. However, he disappeared, and while an investigation against Firehouse 51 started, Kelly’s dad admitted the murder to Voight, who let him off while deciding to cover up the murder.
Rebecca Jones (Season 2, Episode 18)
Rebecca Died By Suicide
When Rebecca Jones arrives at Firehouse 51, she faces pushback from her father and the firehouse members. Rebecca discovers that her father is trying to sabotage her and is attempting to put her in a desk job. Her dad, a senior in the CFD, believed that only men should be firefighters and worked against his own daughter. However, since firefighting is all Rebecca wants to do, it weighs on her, and she takes her own life.
Rebecca’s closest friend, Gabriella Dawson, was hit especially hard by the loss as she questioned whether becoming a firefighter would be the best idea. Jones’s death also showed viewers the struggles and pressures first responders experience and how it can affect their mental health in the long run. Once again, the exit had nothing to do with the actress (Daisy Betts), but the telling of a deeply personal story.
Leslie Shay (Season 3, Episode 1)
Leslie Died When A Beam Fell Onto Her In A Fire
Leslie Shay is Gabby Dawson’s partner on Ambulance 61 and Kelly Severide’s best friend. While responding to a fire, Shay and the rest of Firehouse 51 are trapped when the roof collapses. It wasn’t until the season 3 premiere that the show revealed that Shay had joined the list of Chicago Fire deaths, as she was killed after a beam struck her in the head. A serial arsonist, Trenton Lamont, was stalking Shay and set the fire that caused her death.
Shay’s passing sends Kelly into a downward spiral but also opens the door for Severide to start working as an arson investigator. This Chicago Fire death was the hardest to stomach, given that Shay was one of Chicago Fire’s most likable characters. Shay’s death was the writer’s choice to add drama. Executive producer Matt Olmstead said, “We gave everybody a day in court. We came back to Shay because it affected the most people” (via TV Line).
Wallace Boden Sr. (Season 3, Episode 15)
Wallace Boden Sr. Died Following A Battle With Cancer
When Chief Boden and his father reconnected, Boden was devastated to find out that his father had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Considering that Boden was seen to be a pillar of support for Firehouse 51 and always knew what to say or do when everyone was at a low point, it was heartbreaking to see how lost he was. All Boden wanted was for his father to see his grandson grow up and for them to enjoy each other’s company.
Boden didn’t get much time with his father either, as he sadly passed away a couple of days into his visit. Played by Richard Roundtree (the original Shaft), viewers didn’t get a chance to know Boden Sr. He was only on four episodes, introduced in the 11th episode of season 3, “Let Him Die,” and dying in the 14th episode.
