In an intense episode, we were left until the end to find out who was in the hospital. What happened in the housefire in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 18?
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for Chicago Fire season 13, episode 18.
We knew if Boden returned to look into the events of a fire, it was going to be a big and deadly one. Sure enough, Boden was there on orders by the Commissioner, and he needed to figure out the mistake that Firehouse 51 made that put one of their own in the hospital.
Pascal, Herrmann, Severide, and Kidd all gave their reports, running through the events of the entire night. At first, they had to do their individual reports, and as they pretty much matched up, Boden had to figure out what happened. How did Herrmann get his math wrong? Was there more time to deal with the fire? Well, Boden managed to work it out.
Six went up, and six did go down in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 18
As the house fire turned into a situation that was out of control, Pascal needed to call everyone out. He ordered Herrmann to stay in the building until everyone got out, and sure enough, Herrmann counted six bodies coming back down and out of the building. He worried about how he got it wrong, but it turned out that he didn’t.
It was a case of mistaken firefighter. Everyone thought that Carver and Clarence, the floater, had gone out the window as ordered by Kidd. When the floor gave away on Clarence, Carver went back in to help. He was one of the bodies Herrmann saw, and it meant that a firefighter was accidentally left behind.
Boden took his findings to the commission, explaining that everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Despite all of this, the firefighters worked extremely well together, and Chief Pascal made the right calls. Making it clear he wouldn’t have done it any differently, Boden was able to save the jobs of everyone at the firehouse. This was nobody’s fault.
Who’s life was on the line in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 18?
Of course, during the episode, the news dropped that both Daniel Kyri and Jake Lockett would be leaving the series after season 13. That made us worried that it would be one of those, especially when we learned that Carver went back into the building to help a fellow firefighter.
Well, it turned out that it was Jack Damon. Fortunately, he made it out of the house alive and he made it out of surgery, but there is a question about whether Damon will be able to be a firefighter again. His lungs broke down from the smoke inhalation, and now he’s concerned that he won’t be able to return to work. This is all he wants to do, so it looks like we’ll get more of that in the coming episodes. At least he’s alive!
Does Herrmann still want to be Chief in Chicago Fire?
There is an important question at the end of the episode that Herrmann doesn’t answer. As Herrmann comments on how Boden managed to put it all together, Boden points out that firefighters look at the situation a little differently when they’re chief. This is aimed at Herrmann, who is currently working through the ranks to become Chief.
Boden then comments “if that’s still what you want.” Herrmann doesn’t answer the question, leaving a lot in the air, especially as Herrmann and Pascal share a look. Herrmann did throw Pascal under the bus at one point and it’s clear that Boden still has his plan for Herrmann to take over. Will that be how it all plays out, or will Herrmann decide that the promotion isn’t for him after all?
Overall, this was one of those episodes that shows just how dangerous firefighting is. There are split decisions that need to be made, and they’re not always going to be the right ones. While firefighters need to be held accountable, they also need to be cleared when it comes to tough calls so they’re able to make those calls at another point.
Chicago Fire airs on Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC. Catch up the following day on Peacock.
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