The characters in Chicago Fire have faced death multiple times, and several firefighters, paramedics, and their loved ones have died throughout the 11 seasons of the series. Danger is baked into the show’s formula as the characters are constantly running into burning buildings to save victims. However, large fires aren’t the only cause of some of Chicago Fire‘s most horrific casualties.

The firefighters and paramedics of Chicago Fire signed up for their jobs, knowing that they would potentially be risking their lives during every shift. Meanwhile, viewers signed up to become fans of the show, knowing that some of their favorite characters might die. Over the course of Chicago Fire‘s 11 seasons, more than 10 main and recurring characters have faced death and lost, but five are more heartbreaking than others.

5Andy Darden

Chicago Fire‘s first death came in the series premiere, and it sent a signal to fans that no one was safe in this show. Within the first few minutes of the pilot, Andrew “Andy” Darden, a firefighter on Truck 81, entered through a window into the attic of a house against Matt Casey’s orders. But because Squad 3 hadn’t ventilated the fire yet, a backdraft occurred and killed Andy. Even though he hadn’t spent much time in the show, Andy’s death was a shock and greatly affected the other characters. Casey and Kelly Severide had close relationships with Andy — Casey and Andy attended the fire academy together, while Severide and Andy had been best friends since kindergarten.

As a result, the three of them often hung out, but following Andy’s death, Casey and Severide’s friendship took a dark turn. They both blamed each other for their friend’s death, and the tension between them was one of the main storylines of Chicago Fire season 1. Andy would continue to have an impact on the show, even years after he had died, when it was revealed that he had declared Casey as the guardian of his two sons if anything happened to him or his wife, Heather. So when Heather went to prison, Casey gained custody of the children and moved to Oregon to take care of them in Chicago Fire season 10.

4Anna Turner

When Chicago Fire fans first met Severide, he was very much the playboy/bachelor of the group. He had many flings and girlfriends that often came and went for him, but that all changed when he met Anna Turner. Of course, before Severide and Anna crossed paths, he had been married and engaged before (although both times were rather trivial). However, it wasn’t until his relationship with Anna that Severide became ready for something serious, making the arc of their story even more tragic.

Anna was a leukemia patient who needed a bone marrow transplant, and since Severide was a match, he decided to donate. After the procedure, the two became very close and began dating. Unfortunately, Anna’s cancer only worsened, and she signed a DNR. In the hospital, she became septic, and there was nothing the doctors could do because of the DNR. In what is arguably one of the most heart-wrenching scenes of Chicago Fire, Severide was at her bedside when she died. As she passed, he pleaded with the doctors to save her, to no avail.

3Evan Hawkins

One of Chicago Fire‘s most recent deaths came out of nowhere when Evan Hawkins, a Paramedic Field Chief, was crushed by a building in season 11. The NBC series introduced Hawkins in season 10 when he worked closely with Sylvie Brett to start her new Paramedicine program. Hawkins became a more prominent character when he began dating Brett’s partner, Violet Mikami, later in the season.

Violet and Hawkins’ relationship was controversial among other professionals in the Chicago Fire Department, but they couldn’t deny their feelings for one another. Just when they seemed on the right track, pieces of a building crashed on top of Hawkins as he was helping a victim at a fire. Violet watched the whole thing happen, and viewers’ hearts broke as they watched her desperately try to save him. Sadly, Hawkins died on impact, ending his and Violet’s relationship in Chicago Fire.

2Leslie Shay

Without a doubt, Leslie Shay’s death is one of the most heartbreaking events in Chicago Fire. During the season 2 finale, the firefighters and paramedics of Firehouse 51 responded to a fire, and when they were inside, an explosion caused the roof to collapse. A falling pipe struck Shay in the head, and she died. However, the season 2 finale left viewers on a cliffhanger, and they didn’t find out about Shay’s death until the season 3 premiere.

The rest of the firehouse was devastated by the loss, but Severide and Gabriela Dawson were especially affected by Shay’s death. Severide was Shay’s best friend, and Dawson was her partner. Plus, while inside the building, Dawson and Shay switched places, so it could have been Dawson who died. Eventually, they came to terms with her death, and Shay’s legacy has lived on in Chicago Fire​​​​​ ever since.

1Brian “Otis” Zvonecek

Brian “Otis” Zvonecek was a part of the original Chicago Fire cast, so the audience was understandably devastated when he died in season 8. During the season 7 finale, Firehouse 51 responded to a fire at a mattress factory. A boiler exploded inside, resulting in a backdraft that thrust Otis against a steel door. The force caused it to close, saving the other firefighters from the blast in the process. The backdraft gravely wounded Otis, and he would later die in the hospital from his injuries.

At the hospital, Otis told Joe Cruz something in Russian before he died, and it wasn’t until later that Cruz discovered what he said — “Brother, I will be with you always.” His death forever changed the firefighters and paramedics of Firehouse 51, but it also completely shocked the audience. No one is ever safe in Chicago Fire, and Otis’s exit from the show reminded fans that anyone could die at any given time.