The latest Chicago Fire episode, Shut It Down, opens with Firefighter Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) completely freaking out about how much work goes into planning a wedding. Cruz, with how stressed he’s getting, should seriously consider hiring a wedding planner. Joe shows Firefighters Randy “Mouch” McHolland (Christian Stolte), Harold Capp (Randy Flagler), and Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) a binder Chloe Allen (Kristen Gutoskie) put together. Describing the binder as being extensive would be an understatement. Capp hoping to see a gluten-free option for the wedding cake doesn’t make like any easier for Cruz.

Seeing how stressed out Cruz is with his pending wedding to Chloe, Kidd suggests to her boyfriend, Lieutenant Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), that he help with the preparations. Severide agreed to be his best man. If no one gets Cruz’s mood under control, considering how he seems to be spiralling, he’s likely to explode. There are metaphorical explosions and then there are real explosions. In this latest Chicago Fire episode, there are plenty of both examples for fans to enjoy.

In the dining room, we see Firefighter Candidate Blake Gallo (Alberto Rosende) provide table service to the guys because his girlfriend, Firehouse 20’s Paramedic Violet Lin (Hanako Greensmith), is super competitive. She apparently wants to know how many steps he takes during a day.

Battalion 25 Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) has Mouch fill in as driver on Engine Company 51 because the regular driver, Engine Lieutenant Clarence Norwood (Clarence Norwood), has been sent home due to illness. Later, when Boden updates Lieutenant Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) on Norwood, it turns out he has mono. Mono is the common abbreviation for Mononucleosis. Even though the condition is more common amongst teenagers, people can get it at any age. This means Norwood will be out of commission for at least a few weeks.

With District Chief Steve Walker (Steve Chikerotis) showing up during the next shift for engine runouts, something Herrmann isn’t excited for, being a man down isn’t going to look good. Cruz suggests Firefighter Armstrong from Firehouse 38. Herrmann, with him having thrown Armstrong out of Molly’s Bar for not paying his tabs, immediately shuts that idea down. Firefighter Candidate Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) suggests Gill from the floater pool. This idea also sinks like a lead balloon.

Herrmann, as he continues to whine about not having a driver for the next few weeks, fails to recognise the solution to his problem is seated nearby. Mouch offers to fill in as driver whilst Norwood is away. Herrmann doesn’t immediately go for it, but after giving the suggestion some thought, the lieutenant agrees.

Image Credit: IMDb.com

Naturally, with everyone trying to enjoy breakfast, there is a call out. When Firehouse 51 personnel arrive at a terrace house, a man outside tells Severide that he smelled gas emanating from the building. He wasn’t sure exactly where the leakage was coming from. Seconds after Severide asks if there was anyone else inside the house, there is a gas explosion. The door and windows are immediately blown out. If Severide was standing any closer to the front entrance, he’d had been toasted.

With fire raging all around them, Severide and Gallo manage to save a woman named Lorraine Brewer (Cassie Kramer). Moving further into the house, Kidd and Gallo find a locked door. After breaking the door in, a teenager is discovered. The teenager, Lucy Brewer, isn’t so fortunate as her mother. Lorraine asks Gallo how the gas leak happened. Gallo, with him having been at the scene for only a few minutes, doesn’t have an answer for the young woman. Lorraine travels with Lucy, her daughter, in the ambo to the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center.