2nd Chicago firefighter dies of COVID-19

A second member of the Chicago Fire Department has died from the coronavirus, the department announced Wednesday.

Firefighter Edward Singleton, 55, died Tuesday night from complications of the virus, CFD spokesman Larry Langford said in a statement posted to Twitter.

“It is my sad duty to announce another member of the CFD has died from complications of COVID-19,” Langford said.

Singleton worked at the firehouse at Midway Airport, and leaves behind a wife and two adult children, Langford said. He joined the department in 1987.

Chicago Fire Department

In a statement, CFD Commissioner Richard C. Ford II said, “We don’t need to lose another CFD member to understand the gravity of the circumstances that first responders are currently operating under.

“In the midst of our mourning the loss of yet another one of our brothers, CFD members must diligently follow guidelines and protocols in order to ensure the safety of themselves, the public they serve, and their families. Firefighter Singleton’s contributions and his spirit will live on forever. We ask that the entire city add Firefighter Edward Singleton, his wife Nicol, and his two adult children Breonna and Edward II to their prayers. May God bless us all,” Ford said.

An autopsy confirmed COVID-19 infection contributed to Singleton’s death, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

On Monday, CFD buried the first member of the department to die from the coronavirus. Mario Araujo, 49, died on April 7 from complications of a COVID-19 infection. Araujo joined the fire department in October 2003 and spent most of his career on Truck 25, which operates out of Engine 102 in Rogers Park on the North Side.

As of Tuesday, 94 employees in CFD had tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, 18 members have already returned to duty, while another 18 are quarantined after being exposed to the virus.