Chicago Fire Fans know that no character is safe when it comes to the long-running series, even favorites like Kelly Severide, so everyone should be on their toes after the season 14 fall cliffhanger.
“Severide has been in this situation a lot where he ends up in a position (where) he has to MacGyver his way out of it.” Chicago Fire executive producer Reza Tabrizi explained exclusively Us Weekly ahead of the show’s winter premiere on Wednesday, January 7. “And in this case, the fact that we have two of our own in there, in danger, and the fact that these two characters have come together (there’s more at stake).”
During the fall finale in November, Severide (Taylor Kinney) teamed up with arson investigator Tom Van Meter (Tim Hopper), whom he considers a close friend, to solve a high school fire case against the principal.
After discovering something about the case, Severide and Van Meter went to the headmaster’s house where a fire broke out with all three trapped inside.
“There’s a fire right under their feet (so) it’s going to be interesting to see how they get out of it,” Tabrizi teased, warning fans that “heartache is coming in.”
He also noted that there will be some “getting together” from Firehouse 51 as the lives of Severide and Van Meter hang in the balance.

Tim Hopper, Taylor Kinney.
Peter Gordon/NBC“The idea of having one of our own in the fire in danger is always interesting and takes it to another level,” added the EP.
The show’s winter return is titled “A Man Possessed,” and the record is a little ominous when it comes to who will survive the building fire.
“When an act of arson hurts someone close to the Firehouse 51 family, Severide must track down the perpetrator,” NBC teased, hinting that Severide will get it get out safely, but Van Meter could be injured.
Despite a possible near-death experience on Severide’s part, the show’s EP said we that the character “was born with an incendiary fire in (the) heart” after his late father, Benny (Treat Williams), worked in that department after his firefighting days ended.
“Even though he had a difficult relationship with his father, that’s something he wants to be, a better version of that,” Tabrizi explained of Severide’s passion for investigating fires. “So I don’t know if it’s ever going to move away from arson. But there’s definitely elements of learning how far you have to go and how far you can go.”
on wednesday brand new episode will also show what happened to Randall “Mouch” McHolland (Proud Christians) after budget cuts threaten his job and Truck 51. According to Tabrizi, the threat to his livelihood will actually bring Mouch and boss Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) closer.
“There are a lot of twists and turns when it comes to this story,” the EP shared. “One part is winning, and the other part is losing, such is life.”
Season 14 of Chicago Fire returns to NBC on Wednesday, January 7 at 9:00 PM ET.



