Since 2012, Chicago Fire has captured the lives of the fictional heroes of the Chicago Fire Department. Produced by Dick Wolf and Wolf Entertainment, the show’s success has spawned other series that live in the same cinematic universe, “One Chicago,” including Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, and Chicago Justice. When it comes to Firehouse 51, the action is non-stop. Over the course of 13 seasons, fans have watched their favorite characters experience everything. From explosions to tornadoes to, well, fires, the intensity of the stories is palpable. They pack some heat! Pun intended.
Whether it be a singularly contained episode or one of the many high-octane crossover episodes, Chicago Fire has played host to some of network television’s most intense episodes. Heartbreak, death, and destruction are key factors in these shocking television moments. It’s time to journey through Chicago Fire and the show’s extraordinary episodes that have kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
10. “The Path of Destruction”
Season 4, Episode 11
Get ready! A tornado is devastating Chicago Fire! After a health scare, firefighter Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) is back after a bit of a health scare. With a banner to welcome him back, the fanfare is short-lived as tornado conditions are threatening the windy city, including in Herrmann’s neighborhood. With the call already featuring some heartbreaking moments, including a woman searching for her husband, who had already been found dead, and a boy with his glass in his back searching for his parents trapped in a burning apartment, Herrmann is thrown deep into the action, despite being shaken by the events.
Meanwhile, Jessica “Chili” Chilton (Dora Madison) learns that her sister had been found dead, though some of the Firehouse 51 do not call her erratic behavior an excuse for her recent actions. Her verbal assault on Jimmy Borrelli (Steven R. McQueen) following their breakup was simply uncalled-for, regardless of grief. When it reached the point of nearly killing a victim, many were worried this could be Chili’s last straw. She was her own windstorm in a highly stressful episode. Though the tornado’s aftermath caused immense destruction for Chicago, the reality of the damage made the episode’s intensity feel quite real.
9. “My Lucky Day”
Season 9, Episode 5
Usually, when you watch a fictional series, and you witness an event that might scare you, should you be caught in a similar situation, you get a glimpse of the resolution. Many people fear being trapped in an elevator. But what if you happen to be stuck in an elevator while the building is on fire? You might hope the firefighters are called in to save the day. During this Season 9 episode, building manager Holly (Baize Buzan) and construction contractor Trevor (Brian King) end up being trapped in an elevator whose cable snapped, alongside the firefighters they called to save the day.
Hermann and Joe Cruz (Joe Miñoso) do everything in their power to calm Holly and tend to Trevor’s broken leg, all while trying to radio out for help. The intensity of the episode was centered around a real fear and the terror built aound the traumatic situation. Things continue to get worse. Between smoke seeping in, causing Holly to panic and electrocute herself, and a near-fire starting inside the shaft, Chicago Fire expertly mastered an intense situation while exploring and developing character arcs. On the bright side, Holly and Trevor bonded over their shared trauma, agreeing to a date after they are cared for.
8. “I Am Not Leaving You”
Season 7, Episode 22
Leave it to the season finale for things to get intense! Especially when it’s tied to a cliffhanger. In the Season 7 finale, the show gives viewers some glimpses of romance, just enough to make you feel potential heartbreak by the end. While working on the arson case, Lieutenant Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) and firefighter Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) rekindle their romance. Captain Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer) begins to develop feelings for paramedic Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer), only to learn that she is already engaged to Chaplain Kyle Sheffield (Teddy Sears). But nothing really matters when everyone’s lives are put at risk due to a massive fire at a mattress factory.
Between the scramble to save the day and realizing it was too late to the certainty of tragedy looming around the corner, the episode ended with a true adrenaline rush. Watching your favorites grapple with the face of death, as some are humbly willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. It’s what keeps fans coming back. With Truck 81 and Squad 3 members inside, viewers were forced to wait months before they learned the fates of the individuals inside. It’s one of the most intense cliffhangers of any finale, as no one truly knew what the end result would be, especially with the faces of terror on some of our favorites. Of course, we will learn the major casualty comes at the start of Season 8 with the death of firefighter Brian “Otis” Zvonecek (Yuri Sardarov) in the line of duty.
7. “Telling Her Goodbye”
Season 5, Episode 16
The men and women of Firehouse 51 are accustomed to situations beyond their control. But they are trained to control the tempers. In this Season 5 episode, the fire and rescue squads are put in a situation out of their control that they should never have been put in. After becoming hostages to a group of armed gang members during a turf war, a tense situation unravels. In hopes of de-escalating the situation, everyone tries their hardest to maintain composure with guns pointed at them. Though not necessarily thankful, Gabi Dawson (Monica Raymund) and Sylvie are called out to a call, which means everyone inside is at risk to the whims of their invaders.
With Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) trying to keep everyone calm, it’s Severide, the only one accounted for, trying to save the day behind the scenes. The tension of the hostage situation highlights the Firehouse 51 family, revealing other facets of their characters. With escapes, gunfire, and near fatalities, this episode of Chicago Fire brought viewers on a whole new journey. The heroes become the victims. The story is one of gang violence, something that plagues the real-life city, bringing the show to that reality it’s known for.
6. “The Last One for Mom”
Season 4, Episode 20
There is little more heartbreaking than watching a child learn about the loss of a parent. Sometimes the intensity of an episode isn’t based on a catastrophic event; it might surround the emotional breakdown of a fan-favorite character. Severide had a seemingly simple task. While watching Detective Bianca Holloway’s (Jenny Mollen) son, JJ (Maxwell Jenkins), as she is set to testify at a trial, Severide is pushed to a test when he learns that the boy’s mother was shot and killed.
Knowing how heartbreaking the news will be for the young boy, Severide protects JJ from the pain of the news before his aunt can come. Part of the emotional intensity comes while watching Severide and the rest of the Firehouse 51 crew react when JJ mentions his mom. The episode is an emotional gut-punch that pushes Chicago Fire into those tissue-box-finishing television moments.
5. “Real Never Waits”
Season 2, Episode 22
With the success of Chicago Fire leading to a second season order, the show was able to push the boundaries of intensity for the Season 2 finale. The main event focuses on a burning boarding school that wreaks havoc for the firefighters. As the crew sweeps the floor, it’s the discovery of a charred body of your young child that pushes Severide to a new emotional level. Why? It was one of the rooms that he had cleared. Thankfully, the victim survives, but it rattles Severide so much that he seeks distraction from the trauma. So that’s the intense moment, right? Wrong. Y’all, this is the season finale.
As Boden and Donna Boden decide to wed at the firehouse, Casey pops the question to Dawson. So, one might think Season 2 is going to leave viewers with a happy ending. Well, before she can answer, the alarm sounds, with the squad racing to a minor fire. With the Chief staying back as the crew deals with the fire, silence pervades the air as Severide suddenly issues a pullback warning right before the building explodes. Boden calls out on the radio to earn no response. The Season 2 finale gave viewers the trauma of who might not make it out alive by the time Season 3 rolls around. Unfortunately, the only one not to survive the blast is revealed to be paramedic Leslie Shay (Lauren German). This episode reminds fans that you can’t have happiness in the end. Chicago Fire must have a trauma sandwich, destruction at the end, and joy smack in the middle.
4. “I Am the Apocalypse”
Season 3, Episode 19
Chicago Fire had already established itself as a beloved franchise that NBC was eager to create a larger cinematic universe. “I Am the Apocalypse” is not only an exceptional episode, it also serves as the backdoor pilot for Chicago Med. After rescuing dozens of victims after a dangerous industrial ammonia leak, the squad rushes them to care at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. Meeting the likes of Dr. Hannah Tramble (Laurie Holden) and Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss), the day is put into turmoil as a man enters Chicago Med with a grenade in hand. After declaring he is carrying a deadly airborn disease, he causes an explosion that puts the place in lockdown as everyone tries to flee.
It was an epic episode thanks to the severity of the attack. It’s so catastrophic that it almost left Severide severely injured, to the point of being nearly considered a black tag. Chicago Med is in full force as the staff is forced to handle everything under the sun. With the threat of an outbreak, the episode is one that never gives viewers a chance to catch their breath. It’s high-octane nearly from start to finish. Though it is still a Chicago Fire episode, it sets up the world of Chicago Med and the captivating characters fans are about to adore.
3. “My Miracle”
Season 5, Episode 22
So we meet again. Another season finale. This time it’s the Season 5 finale, “My Miracle.” Throughout most of the episode, the stories of many characters begin to evolve to their next level. Cruz receives his 60-day unpaid suspension, which causes more animosity between Cruz and Randall “Mouch” McHolland (Christian Stolte). Casey fights for the first responder’s bill, despite the pushback coming in every which way. Casey is then put to the test as Dawson’s father (Daniel Zacapa) pushes his buttons, leading to a fight between him and Gabi about her father overstaying his welcome. It makes things even more terrifying when two of those mentioned characters might not make it out alive by the end of the season.
After responding to a warehouse fire, Mouch, who is ready to retire, suffers a heart attack as Casey is fully convinced he won’t be making it out alive. This terrifying revelation leads Casey to remove his mask and deliver a heartbreaking goodbye to Dawson. When he calls her his miracle, everyone is gushing as they watch. As the crew makes it out, the building fully engulfed, they grapple with the possibility that some of their own will not. It’s a grave reminder that this could be one of Chicago Fire’s biggest losses. By the time Season 6 rolled around, fans were thrilled to learn that the entire crew made it out alive.
2. “Deathtrap”
Season 5, Episode 15
Of the many intense crossover episodes in the Chicago One universe, it’s “Deathtrap” that takes the cake for Chicago Fire. As part of the three-part crossover event between Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Chicago Justice, the Chicago Fire episode kicks off the action, with the third in the series serving as the Chicago Justice backdoor pilot. The crew races to a warehouse where a party hangout turns into a fiery inferno.
To bring the world together, one of the victims inside is Chicago PD’s Alvin Olinsky’s (Elias Koteas) daughter, Lexi Olinsky (Alina Jenine Taber), a victim of the intentional fire. While none of our friends from Chicago Fire face too much heartbreak, it is Alvin who does. He loses his daughter in a heartbreaking reality. Had it not been for this kickoff episode, the following two episodes in the epic crossover would never have been equally gripping.
1. “A Dark Day”
Season 2, Episode 20
What keeps fans coming back season after season is how close to reality the stories of Chicago Fire come. Once again, leave it to the crossover events for the show to up the stakes. In this Season 2 crossover with Chicago PD, the overall arc tackles the unified storyline of a bombing at Chicago Medical Center. With Casey and Dawson volunteering at a charity race, Officer Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) is on hand to watch her niece run.
Suddenly, a car bomb detonates outside the hospital as the race for survivors is on. It’s a devastating event as Burgess’s niece sustained a terrible injury, in need of a liver transplant, as a result of the explosion and Dawson is trapped inside the rubble. Meanwhile, the race is on to defuse a second bomb before it detonates. The episode is one of the franchise’s biggest catastrophic events, which allowed for some of Chicago Fire’s earliest and best cinematography thanks to its unification of series. It’s an emotionally grappling television moment as it harkens back to real-life inspiration.
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