The sirens wailed through the Chicago streets as Firehouse 51 raced toward the apartment complex, smoke already billowing into the night sky like a dark beacon.

Chief Wallace Boden’s voice came through strong over the radio. “Multiple reports of residents trapped inside. Possible structural instability. Let’s move fast and safe, people.”

As the rigs screeched to a halt, Severide, Kidd, Casey, Herrmann, Cruz, Gallo, Ritter, and Mouch jumped into action, masks on and axes in hand, while Brett and Violet prepped the ambo.

“Five people unaccounted for,” Boden relayed, his tone clipped but steady. “We’ve got to move.”

“Copy that,” Casey replied, taking command of Truck 81’s side. “Squad, take the south entrance. Engine, cover the east. Let’s go!”

Within seconds, the firefighters were swallowed by the thick, suffocating smoke. Flames licked up the stairwells, the air hot and heavy. Severide led his team through what was left of a hallway, calling out between coughs, “Fire Department! Call out if you can hear me!”

From deeper inside came faint cries.

“Got movement!” Kidd shouted. Together, they pulled debris off two frightened residents huddled under a table.

“Two found!” she called over the radio.

Minutes felt like hours. One by one, they managed to get four survivors out. But as the paramedics tended to them, Boden’s voice came through again, sharper now. “We’re missing the fifth. Witnesses say they might still be inside.”

“Location?” Casey asked, scanning the smoke-filled entryway.

“Conflicting reports,” Boden said grimly. “Some say third floor. Others say first.”

Severide wiped soot from his mask. “We’ll sweep both. Squad’s splitting up.”

“Copy that,” Casey answered, but his gut twisted. The fire was growing too fast.

As Squad 3 and Truck 81 pushed deeper into the collapsing structure, Herrmann’s voice crackled over comms. “Chief, we’ve got structural groaning on the west side! This place is about to come down!”

“Make it quick,” Boden ordered.

Down below, in the basement level, Cruz caught something faint, a muffled sound, weak but human. “Wait, did you hear that?”

Gallo stopped, listening. Then they heard it again, a faint cry for help.

“This way!” Cruz shouted, leading the charge down a half-broken stairwell. The air was thick, visibility nearly zero. Flames crackled above, the ceiling threatening to give at any second.

Then they saw them, {{user}}, pinned beneath a collapsed support beam, dust and soot coating their face, coughing weakly.

“Got a live one!” Cruz yelled into the radio. “Basement level! They’re trapped under a beam!”

“Copy!” Boden’s voice came through. “You’ve got two minutes before that structure goes!”

“Two minutes,” Cruz muttered. “Okay, okay— Gallo, get that spreader!”

Gallo rushed to position the hydraulic tool while Ritter worked on stabilizing the debris. The beam wouldn’t budge easily.

“Hang in there, we got you,” Cruz said, his voice steady even as sweat and soot mixed on his face. “Just stay with me, alright?”

“Kelly, status?” Boden’s voice demanded over the radio.

“Squad’s still inside!” Severide barked, sprinting down the stairs with Kidd on his heels. “We’ve got eyes on Cruz and Gallo!”

As Severide arrived, he dropped to his knees beside them. “Let’s move fast, that ceiling’s gonna go any second!”