The Ben Franklin store fire, which took place on February 23, 1973, claimed the lives of three Palatine firefighters—Warren Ahlgrim, Richard Freeman, and John Wilson. At the time, John Tobin was a high school senior living just a mile from downtown Palatine. He had no choice but to skip class that morning as his father, Dave, a second lieutenant with the village’s volunteer fire department, had already rushed to the scene. So had the assistant chief, who lived just across the street.
Tobin ran toward the fire, where he saw the towering 75-foot Snorkel ladder truck from 1969. But nothing could have prepared him for what he witnessed: a firefighter told him that three others were trapped in the basement. Overcome by emotion, Tobin forgot his camera at home. He ran back to get it, and when he returned, he saw his father safely working outside the fire. It wasn’t until later that he learned the full extent of the tragedy.
The fire had filled the basement with carbon monoxide, and the three firefighters were unable to escape. The event left a deep mark on Tobin, and the image of the Snorkel truck became an obsession over the years. He learned it had been sold to Salem, Illinois, in 1981, then moved again to Pierceton, Indiana. In 2003, while passing through Salem, he tried to find it but discovered it had already been relocated.
Years later, in 2023, the truck was up for sale again. Tobin reached out and offered $5,000, which was accepted. “This is my childhood idol of a truck,†he said. He has since been restoring it at the Bartlett Fire Department, polishing the paint, fixing the lights, and creating a tribute to the fallen firefighters.
On Tuesday, the restored Snorkel made its way back to downtown Palatine, exactly where it had stood 43 years earlier, as the town held its annual memorial service at the Firefighters Memorial on Brockway and Slade streets. Afterward, Tobin plans to keep the truck in a barn on his property in West Dundee, ensuring that the memory of those who lost their lives is never forgotten.
John Tobin photo
John Tobin photo
The Ben Franklin store fire killed three Palatine firefighters. John Tobin photo
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