Why did Otis die on Chicago Fire?

We all miss Otis (Yuri Sartarov). The charismatic firefighter brought lightness and comedy to the 51 squad, and his death during the season 8 premiere left fans reeling. It wasn’t merely that Otis was so well-liked, but that his death happened before the actor even announced his exit from the show.

There was tons of speculation as to why Otis was killed off prematurely, whether it be narrative driven or contractually beneficial, but showrunner Derek Haas has been forthright with the logic behind the decision since Otis’ farewell episode.

Here’s an explanation as to why Otis died in Chicago Fire and how his death impacted the show.

What happened to Otis on Chicago Fire?

During an interview with TV Insider, Haas revealed that it was his idea to kill off the character in such shocking fashion. He felt it would be an antidote to the close calls that previous characters had survived on the show, and would serve as a reminder of how dangerous the firefighter job really is.

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There were initially talks of killing off different characters, including Ritter (Daniel Kyri), but Haas ultimately felt that it needed to happen to someone who had been around for several seasons and who had established a strong connection with audiences (Ritter had only been on for one season at that point).

Does Otis die in Chicago Fire?

Haas also revealed that Sartarov had no plans of leaving Chicago Fire, and that the actor handled the narrative decision gracefully. “I first talked to [franchise creator] Dick Wolf and ultimately got the go-ahead and then I called Yuri, whom I’ve known since before the show”, Haas recalled. “He was gracious and professional. He has a mind that understands creative choices and he agreed to come back and do the season’s first episode.”

Onscreen, the cause for Otis’ death was an explosion at a mattress factory. He was seriously injured in the explosion, and despite being rushed to the hospital in the immediate aftermath, his injuries proved fatal.

For additional information on Otis’ death, and the final, crucial verbal exchange he had with best friend Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso), be sure to click the link below!

For the latest Chicago Fire season 10 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago Fire category at One Chicago Center.