Palatine to honor 3 firefighters killed in the line of duty

The Palatine Fire Department will host a memorial ceremony at 9 a.m. Saturday, to recognize the service and sacrifice of three volunteer firefighters who died in the line of duty on Feb. 23, 1973.

Volunteer firefighters John Wilson, Richard Freeman and Warren Ahlgrim were killed fighting a fire in the Ben Franklin store in downtown Palatine. The early morning fire started in the basement of the retail store and quickly spread throughout the entire building. Wilson, Freeman, and Ahlgrim were on the first hose line battling the fire in the basement of the store.

The memorial ceremony will take place at the Palatine Firefighter's Memorial at the corner of North Brockway and West Slade streets in downtown Palatine. The Palatine Fire Honor Guard will step off from Station 85 at 39 E. Colfax at approximately 8:45 a.m. and march to the memorial. Members of the Palatine Fire Department Honor Guard will present a wreath and perform a brief bell ceremony honoring the three firefighters that paid the ultimate sacrifice 46 years ago.