Chicago firefighter under investigation

Rochelle Callaghan’s home was destroyed in 2014 after a power line fell on her deck, igniting a propane tank. The fire left her with nothing but the clothes on her back and a long road to recovery. In the aftermath, she found herself surrounded by contractors eager to take advantage of the situation — but one man stood out.

“He came up to me and said, ‘My name is Tom Brown. I’m a Chicago firefighter. I can help you out in this situation,’” Callaghan recalled. “I trusted him because he had that uniform, that badge.”

She hired Brown, who claimed to own a fire restoration company called Pleasant Hill Construction, Inc. But later, she discovered that Brown didn’t actually own the business. A representative for the company confirmed that he only sold their services, not ran them.

Callaghan says that Brown and his team collected $63,000 in insurance money before she fired them. She accused them of cutting corners, using substandard materials, and failing to follow building codes. According to her, the work was so poor that another electrician told her it wasn’t up to code at all — outlets were missing wires, and there were serious safety issues.

“He absolutely used his position as a fireman to gain my trust,” she said. “I thought he was helping me, not taking advantage of me.”

The Chicago Fire Department is now investigating Brown for allegedly soliciting victims of fires. Callaghan reported to the department’s internal affairs office that Brown and his crew never pulled the proper permits for the repairs. She also claims they failed to complete the job properly, forcing her to hire another contractor to fix the damage.

Instead of relying on Brown’s company, Callaghan used her life savings to get the work done. That included her kids’ college fund, her 401(k), and even loans from family and friends.

“Everything’s gone,” she said. “I lost everything.”

Meanwhile, Pleasant Hill Construction has filed a lawsuit against Callaghan, accusing her of breach of contract and defamation. They’ve also placed a lien on her home. In response, Callaghan is preparing a countersuit, claiming fraud and seeking compensation for all the losses she suffered.

This story highlights the dangers of trusting someone based solely on their title or uniform — especially when it comes to something as critical as rebuilding your life after a disaster.

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