Chicago Fire s07e05 Episode Script
A Volatile Mixture
1 Whoa.
Whoa.
Whoa.
What are you doing, Barnes? [SCOFFS.]
I'm about to lose it on this guy.
Go do what you got to do.
I am transferring you out of 51.
Now I'm a man down.
I can help with that.
- Yeah.
- [LAUGHS.]
Yeah, I'm in.
Welcome to 51, Ritter.
This is Tyler.
This is my best friend from high school.
What is this with you and Tyler? You didn't even try to get to know him.
He's in love with you.
I'm right about this.
Oh, wow, you're in a hurry to get to work.
Yeah, Herrmann asked me to get in early.
He's in a panic about some Molly's thing.
Herrmann's always in a panic.
Hey, you and Severide weren't at the bar last night.
What's up? We haven't hung out the last few nights.
Why not? He got weird about my friend Tyler, and then I got weird because I didn't like that, jealousy being my least favorite quality in a man.
Oh, I hear you.
Well, it's just a blip, right? You guys'll get past all that.
I think so.
God, I hope so.
- Stella.
- Yeah? I have known Severide for a long time now.
I've never seen him act the way he does with you.
- Never? - Never.
Stella Kidd, as your landlord and your boss, I'm warning you.
You better get inside right now or you're gonna end up homeless and on the go.
One of those little airbags, but they're, like, 200 bucks.
Richie from first shift said they must have left it on a call.
Okay, I'll report it, but we got to be more careful.
All right.
At least Gorsch isn't around to hear about it.
Think Grissom'll finally decide to take the boot of our necks? I highly doubt it.
Can I help you find something? Just trying to see what I missed while I was gone.
I had to accompany the Commissioner to a first responder's summit in San Diego last week.
He has concerns about the situation in 51.
Which is what exactly? Well, I'm starting to suspect that it's a failure of leadership, Wallace.
I see here that Lieutenant Herrmann in his very first shift running a company bounced a long-term member of engine 51.
Why wasn't I consulted about that? Company-level personnel decisions don't typically require approval from the commissioner's office.
Maybe you should worry less about what's typically required and start asking yourself why Commissioner Grissom's faith in your firehouse continues to deteriorate.
It's worse than I thought.
Need any help there? Well, for two months in a row now profits at Molly's have been sinking.
Well, now that you mention that it has been a little quieter lately.
All right, I got some theories about why we're bleeding money.
You get real generous with the pours when you think that I'm not watching.
And you.
You keep telling all the customers how great Molly's North is.
There's no way that's affecting the bottom line.
It's gotta be something else.
Well, your Yelp rating isn't helping.
- What? - Yeah.
I was surfing for a good date spot last week, saw Molly's Yelp page.
Man, that first one, ouch.
- Bring the page up now.
- It can't be that bad.
What's not to like about Molly's? "Bottom line this bar should be torn down.
" Oh, jeeze.
"From the ho-hum decor and tired cocktails" There's nothing tired about my 7&7.
I use ginger ale.
"To the slovenly and often intoxicated crowd of regulars," There may be a little truth to that review, but you should come by tomorrow night.
"This place is long past it's expiration date.
My advice, find another bar.
Any other bar.
" What kind of human being would write a review like that? Engine 51, Truck 81, Squad 3 I've been saying this for a long time.
No good comes out of the internet.
4900, East 100 [SIRENS WAILING.]
[TENSE MUSIC.]
- Anyone inside? - I don't know, but it's spreading real fast.
Hey, fire department! Call out! [INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER.]
See if you can find another way in.
Yeah.
Hey! Fire department.
Anyone in there? Help me! Chief, I got at least one victim down here.
The fire's between her and the door.
Need to get a line there, Herrmann.
We open that front door we're gonna oxygenate the fire, chief.
I think we'll kill her instantly.
Ritter, take this.
Gimme a 6-inch hole right about here, all right? We'll make the line fit through there.
We'll buy you some time.
Hey, give me that cross length! Severide, get ready to make a new door.
Cruz, grab a K12 and a pike pole.
Copy that.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Ma'am, hold on! We're gonna get you out.
How's this? Good.
Perfect.
Let me in there.
Chief.
Whenever you're ready.
Now, let's do it! Hello? Can you hear me? [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
- I've got a pulse.
- Her airwave's burned.
We need to intubate before it swells shut.
I'll call ahead to med.
Let's go, guys.
- Think she'll make it? - Maybe.
Don't dwell on it, all right.
You gave 100% out there.
That's all we can do.
Yeah.
Hey, go grab yourself a fresh air bottle before you forget.
Hey, Otis, listen.
We got to keep this Yelping twit from taking food out of my kids' mouths.
How do we get his review taken down? I don't think we can.
He hasn't violated any guidelines, but I'm gonna post a response to this troll that's gonna reduce him to tears.
What's that gonna accomplish? It'll reduce him to tears.
[LAUGHS.]
What happened here? Who's bunker pants are these? Oh, those are mine.
My bad.
I meant to straighten them up, but, you know.
No, I don't know.
What's your name? Darren Ritter, sir.
Oh, right, you're the new guy.
Hey, he just took his pants off a minute ago.
He would have got to them.
And that's good enough for you? I tell you what's good enough for me.
A smoke eater I can count on.
We just made a grab of an injured victim over at the fire, and when I gave this kid a direct order, he got it done.
So if this victim survives it'll be because of him.
I'm gonna need you to write him up for the pants.
Damn, lieutenant, I'm sorry about that.
Hey.
Hey.
Hey.
Don't sweat it, Ritter.
This has nothing to do with you.
[SIGHS.]
I-I don't get it.
I mean what is Grissom accomplishing by sending his toady in to nitpick everything that we do? This isn't about Ritter's bunker pants.
Grissom installed Gorsch here at 51 to harass Boden, provoke him, try to get him to snap and do something stupid.
So Grissom'll have the grounds to dismiss him.
Well, it's a pretty dumb plan.
Boden's a rock.
He'll outlast Gorsch no problem.
But the rest of us have to outlast him too.
You start squaring off against Gorsch like you did out there, that puts more pressure on the chief.
Casey's right, we're all just gonna have to suck it up and take whatever Gorsch dishes out.
Captain Casey, you have a visitor.
I'm Matt Casey.
Were you looking for me? Yes, hi.
My name is Naomi Graham.
I'm a reporter and I heard your company responded to the Harris Trailer Park fire this morning.
- That's right.
- Where a woman was injured? Yeah.
Do you know how did the fire start? It was in the kitchen.
Seemed to be a stove fire.
What's wrong? Captain Casey, innocent people are being killed and you might be the only person who can help me stop it.
I write investigative pieces on a wide range of topics.
But this one hits close to home.
Little over a year ago, there was fire in a trailer park near my mom's home in Janesville.
I knew some of the families who lived there.
One, the Hoyts, had a 10-year-old with cerebral palsy.
- He didn't make it out of there.
- I'm sorry.
That one started in the kitchen too.
Fire department called it an accident.
I didn't question at the time, had no reason to, but, being a reporter, I read tons of local papers from across the country, and I started to notice something.
Trailer fires, seven of them over the course of the year, across Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois.
Seven doesn't seem like a lot over such a wide area.
Trailer fires are as common as any home fire and the kitchen is the most likely point of origin.
Yes, but these all happen in the same exact make and model trailer from a builder called Grandbrook.
I've heard the name.
These fires have been so destructive there's not enough evidence to determine cause, and because they all start in the kitchen there hasn't been reason to suspect anything more than an accident, but there's something wrong.
Same exact make, same type of fire, and the company refuses to even have a conversation with me.
Why aren't they concerned? I don't know.
There are plenty of reasons they wouldn't want to talk to a reporter.
No offense.
None taken.
I'm proud to be called a pain in the ass, and I'm not gonna let this go.
I'd like to take a look inside the trailer from this morning.
Is that something you can help me with? I'll see what I can do.
Herrmann's really stressed about it, so, you know, the more of us that we can get to Molly's the better.
I'm happy to go.
Great.
Hey, it feels like we haven't seen enough of each other these past couple weeks.
So what do you say we sneak out early? Yeah, sounds good.
- Okay.
- Okay.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'll gonna give you a call as soon as we get off shift.
Great.
My cell number's on here, and thank you, Matt.
Happy to help.
What was that about? She's a journalist.
Had some questions about the trailer park fire we responded to this morning.
So refer her to the public relations department.
It's not a PR issue.
It's a public safety concern.
She thinks the Captain, I said send her to Chief Huffhines.
Let him handle it.
What's her interest in that fire? Just some theories she's got.
I don't want to cross Gorsch.
I can tell her to go through Huffhines.
What's the theory? She's noticed a pattern of trailer fires, thinks ours might fit the profile.
She wants me to show her around the scene, but I can back out of it No, you go ahead.
Won't he give us grief? Maybe.
It's the right the thing to do, so that's how we're gonna proceed.
Anyway, he is not the real problem here.
Grissom is.
And I think it's time I went to see our commissioner and try to patch things up.
You know, bend the knee, kiss the ring.
You think Grissom will respond to that? Maybe, but I'm not sure you can stomach it.
Yeah.
Let me worry about that.
Hey, the angry Yelper responded.
"Sorry, buddy, but Molly's is done.
"Little things like snacks at the bar "or getting the latest three Floyd's on tap "doesn't change that.
You've got to overhaul the whole kit and caboodle.
" What are you so happy about? He just slammed us again.
We just got that three Floyd's on tap the other night.
He's still coming to the bar.
We can sniff him out.
Yeah, first clue, kit and caboodle, so he's no spring chicken.
If this guy doesn't like the place why does he keep coming back? He's a hater.
Plain and simple.
It's like those guys that go see every superhero movie and then they shred them.
Okay, hypothetically speaking, he comes back.
We figure out who it is.
Then what? - We kick him out.
- Well, that'll show him.
Maybe you can convince him to write a good review.
Or pay him to.
I'm not spending a dime.
You love my crummy bar or you get your ass to the curb.
That's the right attitude for a bar.
Aw, don't listen to him.
It's a really fun place.
Sounds like I should have brought my date there last week.
I might have had a better ending.
- What happened? - I got dumped.
Ghosted, actually.
Can't even get a call back.
I hate it when people don't have the common decency to make a phone call.
Me too.
The night ended up okay though.
Called the hottest hook-up on my contacts and we went to every whiskey bar in Chicago.
Battalion Chief Wallace Boden.
I was hoping to get a moment with Commissioner Grissom.
The earliest I can fit you in looks like week after Thanksgiving.
I don't really need much of his time.
I thought I could just wait, you know, till he has a second.
He's in back to back meetings this afternoon.
I can let him know you're here Thank you.
I'll just Thank you.
It's probably why I do what I do.
Growing up an army brat you get that wanderlust.
I love the constant travel.
Where's this piece gonna be published? [LAUGHS.]
Nowhere, unless I can come up with some hard evidence.
It's a tough one.
Authorities haven't been able to find any wrong-doing and I haven't been able to examine any of the fire scenes myself.
It's why I've been so eager to get a look at this one.
Plus, it involves another fatality so the stakes are pretty high.
She died? Yeah, the woman you pulled out.
I'm sorry.
I assumed you already knew.
We don't always hear what happens after our part is done.
Must be hard to get bad news like that.
Trailer's right here.
[SOMBER TONES.]
Nobody told me about any Office of Fire Investigation or that I needed to keep the trailer on site.
At the time, we had no reason to be suspicious of the fire's origins, but now we do.
So we need to find out where that trailer went.
This is all I got.
It shows they got a lien on the trailer, so why would I keep them from hauling it away? The thing was destroyed.
GBR Holdings, LLC.
I'll bet you 100 bucks that's a Grandbrook subsidiary.
A shell company so they can hide their tracks.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
Without the trailer, OFI can't rule out a stove fire.
Why would a stove fire cause an explosion? - You heard an explosion? - Yeah, a bunch of us did.
It was like a loud pop and then the thing went up like a torch.
- What would cause that? - I don't know.
Are there any other trailers of that type around here? What's the model number? The Grandbrook S11 single-wide.
Sure, we got a bunch of 'em.
There's one right there.
I'm gonna take a look inside.
See if I can reverse engineer what happened.
- Thanks.
- Sure.
In my experience, people don't like it when journalists just show up at their door.
Yeah? Sir, my name's Matt Casey, I'm one of the firefighters who responded to the fire at your neighbor's home yesterday.
Oh, yeah.
Poor Cathy, and I heard what happened to her.
It's just awful.
We're trying to figure out how the fire started.
Do you mind if we come inside? Oh.
Course not, no.
Please.
Should bring you with me more often.
This is gas absorption refrigerator.
What does that mean? It uses heat to drive the cooling process.
They're pretty common in trailers, boats, RVs.
You know if Cathy had the same fridge? I assume so.
It comes built in.
She had the same kitchen layout, right? Up next to the fridge.
Yeah, they'll all pretty much identical.
I want try an experiment, but I'd need this exact model of refrigerator.
Terry, how much do you want for your fridge? What? [PEN CLICKS.]
Ma'am.
Is commissioner gonna see me or not? I'm sorry, he left a few minutes ago.
Dinner with the mayor.
He left out a back way.
Oh, I can see how this is gonna work.
Would you like to make an appointment? No thanks.
Your mission, should you choose Find out who the Yelper is.
We're looking for a possible regular, 50 years old or up.
We know.
I'm not sure I'm gonna be very good at this.
If we find him, do we win a free beer? You win Molly's not shutting down is what you win.
Now, go.
You know, it's a miracle you have any friends at all.
I might be a little on edge.
Things are going south at 51, this place is falling apart.
I sunk a lot into Molly's, and I'm not just talking money.
I don't want to lose this place.
Just don't scare our customers, okay? Okay.
All right.
All right.
I seen you here a lot.
I come by when I can.
Why? You ever use Yelp? Sure.
Found my carpet cleaners that way.
Hey, I need a good carpet cleaner.
This girl that I'm seeing, Chloe, she's got this dog, just destroys rugs.
His name's Rizzo.
Funny thing, I assumed that he was named after the Cubs player.
Turns out he's actually named after the character in Greece.
That's 'cause Chloe's into musicals.
She's very, very creative.
Wow, great table.
Perfect view of the TV.
You come here often? Once in a while.
How about you? - Oh, hi.
- Hi.
Was just wondering if you guys are into Yelp.
What is that supposed to mean? Never mind, I'm really looking for someone older.
Severide, did you write that lousy review of Molly's online? - Course not.
- My job here is done.
What, that's it? You're out? Yep, time to join Ritter at the bar.
Oh, he came, that's so great.
I wish Foster would.
I think she can really use a night out.
I invited Ritter.
Oh, well, I didn't specifically ask Foster.
I'm sure she knows I would be glad to see her, or maybe she doesn't.
- Hey, chief.
- Hey.
You okay? I'll feel better when I've had a drink.
- There you go, chief.
- Thanks.
What happened? Gorsch isn't going anywhere.
He's dug in and he's coming for us.
What's the mini fridge? You moving into a college dorm? Hope you don't mind.
Dropped your name over at the academy.
Let me use the training area to run a few tests.
- Is it about the trailer fire? - Yeah, why? Boden never got to talk to Grissom.
Couldn't get past the lobby.
Wallace, I just learned that Casey is working with that reporter after all, despite my direct order to stand down.
Deputy Gorsch, would you mind closing the door? You know how I feel about closed doors.
[SIGHS.]
Fine.
Then I will say this for the whole world to hear.
Jerry, Assistant Deputy Commissioner Gorsch, if Grissom wants you to park it here in my firehouse just waiting to catch us in a mistake, I can't do anything about that.
But this is still my firehouse.
These people answer to me.
You start telling people what to do you disrupt the chain of command opening the door to chaos and confusion in a job where there are lives on the line And I will not let that happen.
You know, Wallace, things don't need to be so difficult.
There's a very simple way for you to get out of this mess.
[SIGHS.]
Relinquish your command of 51.
Step down and take an administrative post.
You'll keep your rank, your salary, you pension And do what? Ride a desk all the way to my retirement? You'll be performing important work with the new CFD Efficiency Task Force, which I am overseeing.
You will report directly to me.
You have no cause to strip me of my command.
I'm making you an offer.
If you don't take it, I'll just keeping looking over your shoulder until you give me cause.
You remember what you wrote in my review all those years ago? I do.
Every word.
"Candidate Gorsch shows a keen interest in the fire service, but I'm afraid his talents lie elsewhere.
" You were right, Wallace, I wasn't much of a firefighter, but turns out I'm very good at giving the Commissioner what he wants.
Guys, Boden is tearing Gorsch a new one.
- It is ugly in there.
- What's going on? All started out with that reporter, the one you were supposed to take to the PR office, and then they just started yelling at each other.
Threats are flying.
It's crazy in there.
This is on me.
I should have done a better job at keeping it under the radar.
Boden gave you the go ahead.
He's the chief.
- For now.
- Okay, what are we gonna do? Maybe if I talk to Gorsch about it? You saw what happened when I tried that.
We need to get to Grissom.
Well, didn't Boden try that already? Boden not close with the commissioner but Benny is.
You wanna ask your dad for help? He's the one person who might be able to get through to Grissom.
I thought things weren't too good with you guys.
They're not, but it's nothing new.
Are you sure that's a good idea? Anyone have a better one? [ALARM BLARES.]
Ambulance 61, injured person, O'Hare Airport.
They're in the TSA office.
Well, what's going on, do you know? Not really.
I mean, I saw something on her, but I'm not sure what I saw was right, - if you know what I mean.
- I don't think I do.
She was on her way back from Russia.
I mean, guess it started on the plane, and customs stopped her because you can't bring that here.
Careful there.
- Are you hurt ma'am.
- It's right here, please.
Did you get knocked in the face? Mm-mm.
- [GASPS.]
- Whoa.
[CRIES.]
- Okay, so it's moving.
When did this start happening, ma'am? It was swollen yesterday.
I thought it was an allergic reaction from my mosquito bites, but once we got in the air it started moving.
She's coming from St.
Petersburg.
Said she spent some time in a cabin outside the city.
It used to be down here.
So it's migrating to your nose? I guess so.
Okay, we need to get you to the hospital.
That's a living creature in there.
She needs to be quarantined.
She can't leave.
We need to get her to an operating room so surgeons can remove and isolate it.
[GASPS.]
It's moving again, please! [CRYING.]
All right, ice may be able to immobilize it.
Least give us enough time to get to the hospital.
We've got to go now.
Okay.
Okay, but I'm coming with you.
I need to make sure that things properly disposed of.
We'll get you to the hospital and the doctor's will remove it right away.
- Okay? - Okay.
I'll help you up.
So what's the deal with Severide and his dad? Benny's a retired CFD Battalion Chief.
Larger than life.
Him and Severide is one complicated relationship.
I hear that.
Hey, how'd it go? They got the parasite out, destroyed it.
She's doing fine.
The thing was a lot longer than I expected.
[SHUDDERS.]
Oh, God.
Oh, God.
What? What's wrong? The the date that didn't call back.
Well, you're not the one who should hide.
Hey, excuse me.
You know, it is not that hard to man up and make a phone call.
That is the respectful thing to do and you know what else? She is way too good for you.
I'm not sure I - do we know each other? - No, we don't.
He's not the date.
She is.
Oh.
Whoops.
It's the thought that counts.
Thank you.
Chief.
Heard you had a little dust up.
Everything okay? I don't know.
Gorsch is set on ruining me with Grissom's blessing.
My only options are fight him with all that I got making our lives a whole lot harder, or I just let him win.
It's like you said, chief.
If it's the right thing to do, that's how we proceed.
Can't see how letting them win is the right thing.
Yeah.
This thing with your dad.
I'm gonna stop by his place, try and talk to him.
I get why you want to do this, but I care about you so I just have to point out that things don't normally go well - when you ask him for things.
- I know that.
You come away from it in pain.
I used to.
Well, you think it's different now? You haven't talked to him since that fight that you had months ago.
I guess we'll see.
Hey.
I love you.
You know that? I love you too.
Okay, you recording? Yeah.
So talk me through this.
What are we doing? We are trying to recreate the conditions inside the kitchen of a Grandbrook trailer.
See if we can get this refrigerator to fail.
What's your theory? A gas absorption fridge runs on hydrogen and ammonia, but this third-rate appliance has no heat shielding around the tank.
And then the geniuses at Grandbrook install it right next to a stove.
If the tank heats up enough it gets overpressured, which triggers the blowoff valve, releasing a volatile mixture of fuel and oxidizer right next to the hot stove.
Kablooey.
[LAUGHS.]
I never would have figured that out on my own.
I don't know how to thank you for all you're doing.
[SCREAMS.]
You were right.
Now you have your proof.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
Need to talk to you.
Then you better come in.
Last time I saw you you were calling me a scared old man.
Then you ignored me for six months.
- Now you want my help.
- That's right.
- Nerves of steel.
- Runs in the blood.
[LAUGHS.]
Well, I know all about the friction between Boden and Commissioner Grissom.
So you needs he trying to beat Boden down, strip him of his command.
Well your holier-than-thou chief brought this on himself.
Tried to undercut the rising commissioner.
What'd he think was gonna happen? A handshake and a promotion? Look I don't ask you for much.
Kay, Dad, I'm asking you to help Boden.
Why would I do that? Because Boden's the only reason I'm still around.
He's the only one who always had my back.
I had your back too, Kelly.
Might not have been ways you always wanted, but I've been here.
Is that the way you see it? 'Cause from my end you were MIA plenty.
Especially when things got tough.
Boden was the only one who picked me back up.
- Father you never had, huh? - That's right.
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
Look, Pop, I didn't come here to fight.
I just came to ask for your help.
That's all.
I don't know there's much I can do.
I think that the threshold might have been crossed on this one but I'll think it over.
I'd appreciate that.
Goodbye, Kelly.
Bye, Pop.
In Captain Casey's estimation it's surprising more of Grandbrook's trailers haven't burned down.
"They need to stop using these types of refrigerators "and they need to repair or retrofit every trailer "they've sold to reduce the risk of fire.
A refusal to do so is tantamount to murder.
" You are a great interview, Matt.
I'm just telling the truth.
But you actually care about this.
You'd be surprised how rare that is.
This article is gonna make waves, Naomi.
Cause a whole lot of trouble for Grandbrook.
That's the idea.
I just hope your involvement doesn't cause trouble for your chief.
The story'll save lives.
That's what he cares about.
Ah! The New York Times Magazine is interested.
Congratulations.
So what now? I just have to proof the draft and get it to them by tomorrow.
Guess I'm done monopolizing your time.
Okay.
Well yeah.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Let me know if you need anything else.
Otis, I'll take another Seven&Seven.
You got it Jake.
Hey, man Don't you know how to order from a bar? - I'm sorry, man.
- You find an empty space.
You don't go banging into people.
I'll get you more peanuts.
Wasn't just the peanuts.
It was the drink, it was the water, the whole kit and caboodle.
What are you looking at me for? How could you one star us, Jake? Why? Maybe we should go online and one star your auto parts store, huh? It was getting too crowded in here.
My regular seat at the bar is always taken.
You got to take down that review, Jake.
Then it'll just get crowded again.
I'll tell you what.
You change that review, and we'll make sure that your seat is here whenever you are.
Really? Wow, hell yeah, it's a deal.
Yay.
Okay.
One Seven&Seven coming right up.
You handled that very well.
The guy's loves the place.
I can appreciate that.
Real short pours for this guy from now on.
Oh, yeah.
That was really cool of you having my back at the hospital.
Sorry about the gender mix-up thing.
I swear I heard you mention boyfriends.
I've had boyfriends and girlfriends.
There's no point in limiting yourself, right? You are full of surprises, you know that.
Hey, you are too.
It's gonna be fun getting to know each other.
Have a good night, Chief.
The answer's no.
I will not accept your offer.
I have no interest in working for you or your sham task force.
I am going to stay right here with my people doing work that matters, and if that means that you are coming for me, Gorsch Bring it.
I have faced tougher adversaries than you and there wasn't one could go the distance.
So Let's see what you got.
Whoa.
Whoa.
What are you doing, Barnes? [SCOFFS.]
I'm about to lose it on this guy.
Go do what you got to do.
I am transferring you out of 51.
Now I'm a man down.
I can help with that.
- Yeah.
- [LAUGHS.]
Yeah, I'm in.
Welcome to 51, Ritter.
This is Tyler.
This is my best friend from high school.
What is this with you and Tyler? You didn't even try to get to know him.
He's in love with you.
I'm right about this.
Oh, wow, you're in a hurry to get to work.
Yeah, Herrmann asked me to get in early.
He's in a panic about some Molly's thing.
Herrmann's always in a panic.
Hey, you and Severide weren't at the bar last night.
What's up? We haven't hung out the last few nights.
Why not? He got weird about my friend Tyler, and then I got weird because I didn't like that, jealousy being my least favorite quality in a man.
Oh, I hear you.
Well, it's just a blip, right? You guys'll get past all that.
I think so.
God, I hope so.
- Stella.
- Yeah? I have known Severide for a long time now.
I've never seen him act the way he does with you.
- Never? - Never.
Stella Kidd, as your landlord and your boss, I'm warning you.
You better get inside right now or you're gonna end up homeless and on the go.
One of those little airbags, but they're, like, 200 bucks.
Richie from first shift said they must have left it on a call.
Okay, I'll report it, but we got to be more careful.
All right.
At least Gorsch isn't around to hear about it.
Think Grissom'll finally decide to take the boot of our necks? I highly doubt it.
Can I help you find something? Just trying to see what I missed while I was gone.
I had to accompany the Commissioner to a first responder's summit in San Diego last week.
He has concerns about the situation in 51.
Which is what exactly? Well, I'm starting to suspect that it's a failure of leadership, Wallace.
I see here that Lieutenant Herrmann in his very first shift running a company bounced a long-term member of engine 51.
Why wasn't I consulted about that? Company-level personnel decisions don't typically require approval from the commissioner's office.
Maybe you should worry less about what's typically required and start asking yourself why Commissioner Grissom's faith in your firehouse continues to deteriorate.
It's worse than I thought.
Need any help there? Well, for two months in a row now profits at Molly's have been sinking.
Well, now that you mention that it has been a little quieter lately.
All right, I got some theories about why we're bleeding money.
You get real generous with the pours when you think that I'm not watching.
And you.
You keep telling all the customers how great Molly's North is.
There's no way that's affecting the bottom line.
It's gotta be something else.
Well, your Yelp rating isn't helping.
- What? - Yeah.
I was surfing for a good date spot last week, saw Molly's Yelp page.
Man, that first one, ouch.
- Bring the page up now.
- It can't be that bad.
What's not to like about Molly's? "Bottom line this bar should be torn down.
" Oh, jeeze.
"From the ho-hum decor and tired cocktails" There's nothing tired about my 7&7.
I use ginger ale.
"To the slovenly and often intoxicated crowd of regulars," There may be a little truth to that review, but you should come by tomorrow night.
"This place is long past it's expiration date.
My advice, find another bar.
Any other bar.
" What kind of human being would write a review like that? Engine 51, Truck 81, Squad 3 I've been saying this for a long time.
No good comes out of the internet.
4900, East 100 [SIRENS WAILING.]
[TENSE MUSIC.]
- Anyone inside? - I don't know, but it's spreading real fast.
Hey, fire department! Call out! [INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER.]
See if you can find another way in.
Yeah.
Hey! Fire department.
Anyone in there? Help me! Chief, I got at least one victim down here.
The fire's between her and the door.
Need to get a line there, Herrmann.
We open that front door we're gonna oxygenate the fire, chief.
I think we'll kill her instantly.
Ritter, take this.
Gimme a 6-inch hole right about here, all right? We'll make the line fit through there.
We'll buy you some time.
Hey, give me that cross length! Severide, get ready to make a new door.
Cruz, grab a K12 and a pike pole.
Copy that.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Ma'am, hold on! We're gonna get you out.
How's this? Good.
Perfect.
Let me in there.
Chief.
Whenever you're ready.
Now, let's do it! Hello? Can you hear me? [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
- I've got a pulse.
- Her airwave's burned.
We need to intubate before it swells shut.
I'll call ahead to med.
Let's go, guys.
- Think she'll make it? - Maybe.
Don't dwell on it, all right.
You gave 100% out there.
That's all we can do.
Yeah.
Hey, go grab yourself a fresh air bottle before you forget.
Hey, Otis, listen.
We got to keep this Yelping twit from taking food out of my kids' mouths.
How do we get his review taken down? I don't think we can.
He hasn't violated any guidelines, but I'm gonna post a response to this troll that's gonna reduce him to tears.
What's that gonna accomplish? It'll reduce him to tears.
[LAUGHS.]
What happened here? Who's bunker pants are these? Oh, those are mine.
My bad.
I meant to straighten them up, but, you know.
No, I don't know.
What's your name? Darren Ritter, sir.
Oh, right, you're the new guy.
Hey, he just took his pants off a minute ago.
He would have got to them.
And that's good enough for you? I tell you what's good enough for me.
A smoke eater I can count on.
We just made a grab of an injured victim over at the fire, and when I gave this kid a direct order, he got it done.
So if this victim survives it'll be because of him.
I'm gonna need you to write him up for the pants.
Damn, lieutenant, I'm sorry about that.
Hey.
Hey.
Hey.
Don't sweat it, Ritter.
This has nothing to do with you.
[SIGHS.]
I-I don't get it.
I mean what is Grissom accomplishing by sending his toady in to nitpick everything that we do? This isn't about Ritter's bunker pants.
Grissom installed Gorsch here at 51 to harass Boden, provoke him, try to get him to snap and do something stupid.
So Grissom'll have the grounds to dismiss him.
Well, it's a pretty dumb plan.
Boden's a rock.
He'll outlast Gorsch no problem.
But the rest of us have to outlast him too.
You start squaring off against Gorsch like you did out there, that puts more pressure on the chief.
Casey's right, we're all just gonna have to suck it up and take whatever Gorsch dishes out.
Captain Casey, you have a visitor.
I'm Matt Casey.
Were you looking for me? Yes, hi.
My name is Naomi Graham.
I'm a reporter and I heard your company responded to the Harris Trailer Park fire this morning.
- That's right.
- Where a woman was injured? Yeah.
Do you know how did the fire start? It was in the kitchen.
Seemed to be a stove fire.
What's wrong? Captain Casey, innocent people are being killed and you might be the only person who can help me stop it.
I write investigative pieces on a wide range of topics.
But this one hits close to home.
Little over a year ago, there was fire in a trailer park near my mom's home in Janesville.
I knew some of the families who lived there.
One, the Hoyts, had a 10-year-old with cerebral palsy.
- He didn't make it out of there.
- I'm sorry.
That one started in the kitchen too.
Fire department called it an accident.
I didn't question at the time, had no reason to, but, being a reporter, I read tons of local papers from across the country, and I started to notice something.
Trailer fires, seven of them over the course of the year, across Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois.
Seven doesn't seem like a lot over such a wide area.
Trailer fires are as common as any home fire and the kitchen is the most likely point of origin.
Yes, but these all happen in the same exact make and model trailer from a builder called Grandbrook.
I've heard the name.
These fires have been so destructive there's not enough evidence to determine cause, and because they all start in the kitchen there hasn't been reason to suspect anything more than an accident, but there's something wrong.
Same exact make, same type of fire, and the company refuses to even have a conversation with me.
Why aren't they concerned? I don't know.
There are plenty of reasons they wouldn't want to talk to a reporter.
No offense.
None taken.
I'm proud to be called a pain in the ass, and I'm not gonna let this go.
I'd like to take a look inside the trailer from this morning.
Is that something you can help me with? I'll see what I can do.
Herrmann's really stressed about it, so, you know, the more of us that we can get to Molly's the better.
I'm happy to go.
Great.
Hey, it feels like we haven't seen enough of each other these past couple weeks.
So what do you say we sneak out early? Yeah, sounds good.
- Okay.
- Okay.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'll gonna give you a call as soon as we get off shift.
Great.
My cell number's on here, and thank you, Matt.
Happy to help.
What was that about? She's a journalist.
Had some questions about the trailer park fire we responded to this morning.
So refer her to the public relations department.
It's not a PR issue.
It's a public safety concern.
She thinks the Captain, I said send her to Chief Huffhines.
Let him handle it.
What's her interest in that fire? Just some theories she's got.
I don't want to cross Gorsch.
I can tell her to go through Huffhines.
What's the theory? She's noticed a pattern of trailer fires, thinks ours might fit the profile.
She wants me to show her around the scene, but I can back out of it No, you go ahead.
Won't he give us grief? Maybe.
It's the right the thing to do, so that's how we're gonna proceed.
Anyway, he is not the real problem here.
Grissom is.
And I think it's time I went to see our commissioner and try to patch things up.
You know, bend the knee, kiss the ring.
You think Grissom will respond to that? Maybe, but I'm not sure you can stomach it.
Yeah.
Let me worry about that.
Hey, the angry Yelper responded.
"Sorry, buddy, but Molly's is done.
"Little things like snacks at the bar "or getting the latest three Floyd's on tap "doesn't change that.
You've got to overhaul the whole kit and caboodle.
" What are you so happy about? He just slammed us again.
We just got that three Floyd's on tap the other night.
He's still coming to the bar.
We can sniff him out.
Yeah, first clue, kit and caboodle, so he's no spring chicken.
If this guy doesn't like the place why does he keep coming back? He's a hater.
Plain and simple.
It's like those guys that go see every superhero movie and then they shred them.
Okay, hypothetically speaking, he comes back.
We figure out who it is.
Then what? - We kick him out.
- Well, that'll show him.
Maybe you can convince him to write a good review.
Or pay him to.
I'm not spending a dime.
You love my crummy bar or you get your ass to the curb.
That's the right attitude for a bar.
Aw, don't listen to him.
It's a really fun place.
Sounds like I should have brought my date there last week.
I might have had a better ending.
- What happened? - I got dumped.
Ghosted, actually.
Can't even get a call back.
I hate it when people don't have the common decency to make a phone call.
Me too.
The night ended up okay though.
Called the hottest hook-up on my contacts and we went to every whiskey bar in Chicago.
Battalion Chief Wallace Boden.
I was hoping to get a moment with Commissioner Grissom.
The earliest I can fit you in looks like week after Thanksgiving.
I don't really need much of his time.
I thought I could just wait, you know, till he has a second.
He's in back to back meetings this afternoon.
I can let him know you're here Thank you.
I'll just Thank you.
It's probably why I do what I do.
Growing up an army brat you get that wanderlust.
I love the constant travel.
Where's this piece gonna be published? [LAUGHS.]
Nowhere, unless I can come up with some hard evidence.
It's a tough one.
Authorities haven't been able to find any wrong-doing and I haven't been able to examine any of the fire scenes myself.
It's why I've been so eager to get a look at this one.
Plus, it involves another fatality so the stakes are pretty high.
She died? Yeah, the woman you pulled out.
I'm sorry.
I assumed you already knew.
We don't always hear what happens after our part is done.
Must be hard to get bad news like that.
Trailer's right here.
[SOMBER TONES.]
Nobody told me about any Office of Fire Investigation or that I needed to keep the trailer on site.
At the time, we had no reason to be suspicious of the fire's origins, but now we do.
So we need to find out where that trailer went.
This is all I got.
It shows they got a lien on the trailer, so why would I keep them from hauling it away? The thing was destroyed.
GBR Holdings, LLC.
I'll bet you 100 bucks that's a Grandbrook subsidiary.
A shell company so they can hide their tracks.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
Without the trailer, OFI can't rule out a stove fire.
Why would a stove fire cause an explosion? - You heard an explosion? - Yeah, a bunch of us did.
It was like a loud pop and then the thing went up like a torch.
- What would cause that? - I don't know.
Are there any other trailers of that type around here? What's the model number? The Grandbrook S11 single-wide.
Sure, we got a bunch of 'em.
There's one right there.
I'm gonna take a look inside.
See if I can reverse engineer what happened.
- Thanks.
- Sure.
In my experience, people don't like it when journalists just show up at their door.
Yeah? Sir, my name's Matt Casey, I'm one of the firefighters who responded to the fire at your neighbor's home yesterday.
Oh, yeah.
Poor Cathy, and I heard what happened to her.
It's just awful.
We're trying to figure out how the fire started.
Do you mind if we come inside? Oh.
Course not, no.
Please.
Should bring you with me more often.
This is gas absorption refrigerator.
What does that mean? It uses heat to drive the cooling process.
They're pretty common in trailers, boats, RVs.
You know if Cathy had the same fridge? I assume so.
It comes built in.
She had the same kitchen layout, right? Up next to the fridge.
Yeah, they'll all pretty much identical.
I want try an experiment, but I'd need this exact model of refrigerator.
Terry, how much do you want for your fridge? What? [PEN CLICKS.]
Ma'am.
Is commissioner gonna see me or not? I'm sorry, he left a few minutes ago.
Dinner with the mayor.
He left out a back way.
Oh, I can see how this is gonna work.
Would you like to make an appointment? No thanks.
Your mission, should you choose Find out who the Yelper is.
We're looking for a possible regular, 50 years old or up.
We know.
I'm not sure I'm gonna be very good at this.
If we find him, do we win a free beer? You win Molly's not shutting down is what you win.
Now, go.
You know, it's a miracle you have any friends at all.
I might be a little on edge.
Things are going south at 51, this place is falling apart.
I sunk a lot into Molly's, and I'm not just talking money.
I don't want to lose this place.
Just don't scare our customers, okay? Okay.
All right.
All right.
I seen you here a lot.
I come by when I can.
Why? You ever use Yelp? Sure.
Found my carpet cleaners that way.
Hey, I need a good carpet cleaner.
This girl that I'm seeing, Chloe, she's got this dog, just destroys rugs.
His name's Rizzo.
Funny thing, I assumed that he was named after the Cubs player.
Turns out he's actually named after the character in Greece.
That's 'cause Chloe's into musicals.
She's very, very creative.
Wow, great table.
Perfect view of the TV.
You come here often? Once in a while.
How about you? - Oh, hi.
- Hi.
Was just wondering if you guys are into Yelp.
What is that supposed to mean? Never mind, I'm really looking for someone older.
Severide, did you write that lousy review of Molly's online? - Course not.
- My job here is done.
What, that's it? You're out? Yep, time to join Ritter at the bar.
Oh, he came, that's so great.
I wish Foster would.
I think she can really use a night out.
I invited Ritter.
Oh, well, I didn't specifically ask Foster.
I'm sure she knows I would be glad to see her, or maybe she doesn't.
- Hey, chief.
- Hey.
You okay? I'll feel better when I've had a drink.
- There you go, chief.
- Thanks.
What happened? Gorsch isn't going anywhere.
He's dug in and he's coming for us.
What's the mini fridge? You moving into a college dorm? Hope you don't mind.
Dropped your name over at the academy.
Let me use the training area to run a few tests.
- Is it about the trailer fire? - Yeah, why? Boden never got to talk to Grissom.
Couldn't get past the lobby.
Wallace, I just learned that Casey is working with that reporter after all, despite my direct order to stand down.
Deputy Gorsch, would you mind closing the door? You know how I feel about closed doors.
[SIGHS.]
Fine.
Then I will say this for the whole world to hear.
Jerry, Assistant Deputy Commissioner Gorsch, if Grissom wants you to park it here in my firehouse just waiting to catch us in a mistake, I can't do anything about that.
But this is still my firehouse.
These people answer to me.
You start telling people what to do you disrupt the chain of command opening the door to chaos and confusion in a job where there are lives on the line And I will not let that happen.
You know, Wallace, things don't need to be so difficult.
There's a very simple way for you to get out of this mess.
[SIGHS.]
Relinquish your command of 51.
Step down and take an administrative post.
You'll keep your rank, your salary, you pension And do what? Ride a desk all the way to my retirement? You'll be performing important work with the new CFD Efficiency Task Force, which I am overseeing.
You will report directly to me.
You have no cause to strip me of my command.
I'm making you an offer.
If you don't take it, I'll just keeping looking over your shoulder until you give me cause.
You remember what you wrote in my review all those years ago? I do.
Every word.
"Candidate Gorsch shows a keen interest in the fire service, but I'm afraid his talents lie elsewhere.
" You were right, Wallace, I wasn't much of a firefighter, but turns out I'm very good at giving the Commissioner what he wants.
Guys, Boden is tearing Gorsch a new one.
- It is ugly in there.
- What's going on? All started out with that reporter, the one you were supposed to take to the PR office, and then they just started yelling at each other.
Threats are flying.
It's crazy in there.
This is on me.
I should have done a better job at keeping it under the radar.
Boden gave you the go ahead.
He's the chief.
- For now.
- Okay, what are we gonna do? Maybe if I talk to Gorsch about it? You saw what happened when I tried that.
We need to get to Grissom.
Well, didn't Boden try that already? Boden not close with the commissioner but Benny is.
You wanna ask your dad for help? He's the one person who might be able to get through to Grissom.
I thought things weren't too good with you guys.
They're not, but it's nothing new.
Are you sure that's a good idea? Anyone have a better one? [ALARM BLARES.]
Ambulance 61, injured person, O'Hare Airport.
They're in the TSA office.
Well, what's going on, do you know? Not really.
I mean, I saw something on her, but I'm not sure what I saw was right, - if you know what I mean.
- I don't think I do.
She was on her way back from Russia.
I mean, guess it started on the plane, and customs stopped her because you can't bring that here.
Careful there.
- Are you hurt ma'am.
- It's right here, please.
Did you get knocked in the face? Mm-mm.
- [GASPS.]
- Whoa.
[CRIES.]
- Okay, so it's moving.
When did this start happening, ma'am? It was swollen yesterday.
I thought it was an allergic reaction from my mosquito bites, but once we got in the air it started moving.
She's coming from St.
Petersburg.
Said she spent some time in a cabin outside the city.
It used to be down here.
So it's migrating to your nose? I guess so.
Okay, we need to get you to the hospital.
That's a living creature in there.
She needs to be quarantined.
She can't leave.
We need to get her to an operating room so surgeons can remove and isolate it.
[GASPS.]
It's moving again, please! [CRYING.]
All right, ice may be able to immobilize it.
Least give us enough time to get to the hospital.
We've got to go now.
Okay.
Okay, but I'm coming with you.
I need to make sure that things properly disposed of.
We'll get you to the hospital and the doctor's will remove it right away.
- Okay? - Okay.
I'll help you up.
So what's the deal with Severide and his dad? Benny's a retired CFD Battalion Chief.
Larger than life.
Him and Severide is one complicated relationship.
I hear that.
Hey, how'd it go? They got the parasite out, destroyed it.
She's doing fine.
The thing was a lot longer than I expected.
[SHUDDERS.]
Oh, God.
Oh, God.
What? What's wrong? The the date that didn't call back.
Well, you're not the one who should hide.
Hey, excuse me.
You know, it is not that hard to man up and make a phone call.
That is the respectful thing to do and you know what else? She is way too good for you.
I'm not sure I - do we know each other? - No, we don't.
He's not the date.
She is.
Oh.
Whoops.
It's the thought that counts.
Thank you.
Chief.
Heard you had a little dust up.
Everything okay? I don't know.
Gorsch is set on ruining me with Grissom's blessing.
My only options are fight him with all that I got making our lives a whole lot harder, or I just let him win.
It's like you said, chief.
If it's the right thing to do, that's how we proceed.
Can't see how letting them win is the right thing.
Yeah.
This thing with your dad.
I'm gonna stop by his place, try and talk to him.
I get why you want to do this, but I care about you so I just have to point out that things don't normally go well - when you ask him for things.
- I know that.
You come away from it in pain.
I used to.
Well, you think it's different now? You haven't talked to him since that fight that you had months ago.
I guess we'll see.
Hey.
I love you.
You know that? I love you too.
Okay, you recording? Yeah.
So talk me through this.
What are we doing? We are trying to recreate the conditions inside the kitchen of a Grandbrook trailer.
See if we can get this refrigerator to fail.
What's your theory? A gas absorption fridge runs on hydrogen and ammonia, but this third-rate appliance has no heat shielding around the tank.
And then the geniuses at Grandbrook install it right next to a stove.
If the tank heats up enough it gets overpressured, which triggers the blowoff valve, releasing a volatile mixture of fuel and oxidizer right next to the hot stove.
Kablooey.
[LAUGHS.]
I never would have figured that out on my own.
I don't know how to thank you for all you're doing.
[SCREAMS.]
You were right.
Now you have your proof.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
Need to talk to you.
Then you better come in.
Last time I saw you you were calling me a scared old man.
Then you ignored me for six months.
- Now you want my help.
- That's right.
- Nerves of steel.
- Runs in the blood.
[LAUGHS.]
Well, I know all about the friction between Boden and Commissioner Grissom.
So you needs he trying to beat Boden down, strip him of his command.
Well your holier-than-thou chief brought this on himself.
Tried to undercut the rising commissioner.
What'd he think was gonna happen? A handshake and a promotion? Look I don't ask you for much.
Kay, Dad, I'm asking you to help Boden.
Why would I do that? Because Boden's the only reason I'm still around.
He's the only one who always had my back.
I had your back too, Kelly.
Might not have been ways you always wanted, but I've been here.
Is that the way you see it? 'Cause from my end you were MIA plenty.
Especially when things got tough.
Boden was the only one who picked me back up.
- Father you never had, huh? - That's right.
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
Look, Pop, I didn't come here to fight.
I just came to ask for your help.
That's all.
I don't know there's much I can do.
I think that the threshold might have been crossed on this one but I'll think it over.
I'd appreciate that.
Goodbye, Kelly.
Bye, Pop.
In Captain Casey's estimation it's surprising more of Grandbrook's trailers haven't burned down.
"They need to stop using these types of refrigerators "and they need to repair or retrofit every trailer "they've sold to reduce the risk of fire.
A refusal to do so is tantamount to murder.
" You are a great interview, Matt.
I'm just telling the truth.
But you actually care about this.
You'd be surprised how rare that is.
This article is gonna make waves, Naomi.
Cause a whole lot of trouble for Grandbrook.
That's the idea.
I just hope your involvement doesn't cause trouble for your chief.
The story'll save lives.
That's what he cares about.
Ah! The New York Times Magazine is interested.
Congratulations.
So what now? I just have to proof the draft and get it to them by tomorrow.
Guess I'm done monopolizing your time.
Okay.
Well yeah.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Let me know if you need anything else.
Otis, I'll take another Seven&Seven.
You got it Jake.
Hey, man Don't you know how to order from a bar? - I'm sorry, man.
- You find an empty space.
You don't go banging into people.
I'll get you more peanuts.
Wasn't just the peanuts.
It was the drink, it was the water, the whole kit and caboodle.
What are you looking at me for? How could you one star us, Jake? Why? Maybe we should go online and one star your auto parts store, huh? It was getting too crowded in here.
My regular seat at the bar is always taken.
You got to take down that review, Jake.
Then it'll just get crowded again.
I'll tell you what.
You change that review, and we'll make sure that your seat is here whenever you are.
Really? Wow, hell yeah, it's a deal.
Yay.
Okay.
One Seven&Seven coming right up.
You handled that very well.
The guy's loves the place.
I can appreciate that.
Real short pours for this guy from now on.
Oh, yeah.
That was really cool of you having my back at the hospital.
Sorry about the gender mix-up thing.
I swear I heard you mention boyfriends.
I've had boyfriends and girlfriends.
There's no point in limiting yourself, right? You are full of surprises, you know that.
Hey, you are too.
It's gonna be fun getting to know each other.
Have a good night, Chief.
The answer's no.
I will not accept your offer.
I have no interest in working for you or your sham task force.
I am going to stay right here with my people doing work that matters, and if that means that you are coming for me, Gorsch Bring it.
I have faced tougher adversaries than you and there wasn't one could go the distance.
So Let's see what you got.