Can You Visit The Chicago Fire Firehouse In Real Life?
By Mia Tucker
According to the NBC Insider website, most of the Firehouse 51 exterior scenes for "Chicago Fire" are filmed at Engine 18, an actual operating firehouse in Chicago's West Side. The interiors are of course shot elsewhere at the franchise's studios, but even the sets are designed to resemble Engine 18's space. Originally the pilot included a sliding pole for the firefighters to move down, but they removed the feature because it wouldn't be accurate to the real building.
This has caused the location on Blue Island Avenue to get a fair amount of foot traffic. Choose Chicago even recommends the site for curious fans looking to get a glimpse of the show's stars at work. But the firehouse hasn't changed any daily operations because of the recent fame, either. Regardless of the "Chicago Fire" production, Engine 18 continues to be used by the Chicago Fire Department to combat the city's worst disasters. The use of the real setting just proves how careful the "One Chicago" shows have been about capturing the authenticity of a great Midwestern city.
