The most surprising Chicago Fire exits of all time

Chicago Fire has made a habit out of shocking fans. The showrunners have gone out of their way to prove that firefighting is a deadly profession, and that, at any time, people can lose their lives. It makes sense, then, that Fire has had plenty of shocking exits.

These exits includes deaths, characters moving away, or simply quitting their job at the 51. When a show runs for a decade there are bound to be actors who want to move on, and so its up to the writers to provide a reason that’s both entertaining and exciting.

Here are the top Chicago Fire exits we’d categorize as surprising:

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 03: Charlie Barnett attends Netflix The Witcher LA Fan Experience at the Egyptian Theatre on December 03, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix) /

Peter Mills

Mills (Charlie Barnett) was another centerpiece character during Fire‘s early years. It seemed as though he’d be around for the long haul, but he was suddenly written out of the show at the end of season 3. He wasn’t killed off, thankfully, but his exit was a shock for both fans and the actor.

Barnett told Digital Spy that he struggled with the decision to axe his character, and it took him years to make peace with it, given how much he enjoyed working on the show. The silver lining, of course, is that Mills could come back for a cameo at some point. Fingers crossed.

PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 15: Actress Lauren German speaks onstage during the “Lucifer” panel discussion at the FOX portion of the 2015 Winter TCA Tour at the Langham Huntington Hotel on January 15, 2016 in Pasadena, California (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) /

Leslie Shay

This one hurt. Leslie Shay (Lauren German) was a fascinating character from the moment she joined the Fire cast, but just as we were settling in with her for good, she was killed in a shocking season 2 finale.

Once again, the show utilizes heartbreak and the axing of a popular character to show fans that firefighting, despite its Hollywood glamour and heroism, is a life or death business.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 24: Adriyan Rae attends the premiere of the 3rd season of FX’s “Atlanta” at Hollywood Forever on March 24, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images) /

Gianna Mackey

Mackey (Adriyan Rae) is an odd case in Fire history. The character was introduced in season, and set up to be a new force within the ensemble cast. Everything seemed to be going according to plan, but then she disappeared, seemingly without a trace.

It was later revealed that the character had been written out and transferred to another firehouse. We’re left to wonder why this sudden exit happened, and what things would’ve been like had she stuck around.

CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 30: Yuri Sardarov attends the press junket for “One Chicago” on October 30, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images) /

Brian “Otis” Zvonecek

Otis (Yuri Sartarov) seemed untouchable during his run on Fire. He was the comic relief, the one who kept everybody light in spite of the dangerous situations they were being thrust into. This concept is what made his death in season 8 so devastating.

Otis died as a result of injuries he sustained at a mattress factory fire. He was pronounced dead in the hospital, after saying his goodbyes to the rest of the 51 team. He lives on, in both memory and namesake (Cruz named his son “Otis”), but we’ll never fully get over him being gone.

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