After spending the day at work pretending to be a firefighter, “Chicago Fire” star David Eigenberg got home to discover he needed some help from the real deal.
“I smelled gas in my lobby,” said Eigenberg, who lives in a multi-unit building in Bucktown with his pregnant wife and 4-year-old son.
Eigenberg wasn’t sure what to do. His wife and neighbors smelled gas, too. But if it turned out to be nothing, he could be in for some ribbing, given his imaginary profession. He plays Christopher Herrmann, a seasoned firefighter and father of five, on the NBC drama.
“I figured I’m probably going to be humiliated but then, if in two hours the whole building blows up, what am I gonna say? I didn’t want to be humiliated?” said the Naperville native who spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
He called 911, prompting a response from firefighters at the Bucktown station where the cast had just filmed scenes for season two earlier this month.
“The captain got there and was like, ‘I recognize you,’” Eigenberg said.
The firefighters took out their gas meters and ran some tests.
Turned out to be nothing.
“When they were leaving the captain looked at me and goes, ‘Am I supposed to tell anybody about this?’” Eigenberg said. “I’m like, ‘How can you not? You have to bust my chops.’”
