The flames aren’t just on the street anymore—they’re inside Firehouse 51. As Chicago Fire heads into its 14th explosive season, the beloved NBC drama returns to its signature chaos: new babies, old fears, and gut-wrenching exits that will leave fans reeling.

Season 14 premieres Wednesday, October 1 at 9/8c, but don’t expect a soft landing. The time jump may skip over months of silence, but it drops viewers directly into a firestorm of change. From the aftermath of Season 13’s cliffhangers to an internal CFD audit threatening everyone’s job, nothing is safe anymore—not even the people we thought we could count on.

The Departures That Cut Deep

Daniel Kyri (Darren Ritter) and Jake Lockett (Sam Carver) are leaving—and it’s not just a quiet fade-out. Ritter has been a moral compass and emotional anchor since Season 7. Carver, despite his rough edges, evolved into a fierce protector of his team. Their exits strike at the heart of Truck 81—and at Lieutenant Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), who’s now facing the kind of loss she thought she’d never see again.

And yet, no exit scene has aired—yet. Carver was supposed to leave town. Ritter? No one’s said a word. That silence? It’s deafening. Could one of them die in the firehouse before they say goodbye?

Showrunner Andrea Newman hinted that nothing is off the table. She hopes they’ll return in some capacity—but hope doesn’t sound like confirmation. And fans aren’t ready.

The Baby That Changes Everything

At the heart of the season is a revelation that rocked the Season 13 finale—Kidd is pregnant. But instead of joy, the pregnancy unleashes pure fear. Severide (Taylor Kinney), after a season of drifting and detachment, must now face something far more dangerous than a structure fire: the possibility of losing his family before it begins.

Kidd, haunted by her childhood and the trauma of losing her own parents, spirals. What happens if both she and Severide are caught in a fire? What happens to their child? Parenthood isn’t just a new storyline—it’s a minefield.

Their love has survived infidelity, disappearance, even divorce threats. But can it survive this?

Shifting Power, Shaky Ground

After turning down the chief position and stepping down as officer, Herrmann (David Eigenberg) is back on the ground with the guys. That would be fine—if it weren’t for Chief Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) staying on with a new agenda and an unforgiving new audit.

Newman has confirmed: “Nobody’s safe.” The CFD is cleaning house. Firehouse 51, once a haven, is under siege from within. The audit will shake the ladder from the top all the way down to the base. If you’ve worn a uniform—even for one call—you’re on the list.

This includes Mouch, who’s stepping up as lieutenant on engine. It includes Violet (Hanako Greensmith), still reeling from her almost-reunion with Carver. And it includes every new character brought in to replace the ones we’re losing—including Brandon Larracuente, whose role is still a mystery.

Love, Loyalty, and Looming Loss

Meanwhile, fans should brace for emotional fallout. Ritter’s absence will hit Violet hard—especially with Carver possibly gone too. And if Carver leaves without a final moment with Violet, their entire arc will feel like a tragic near-miss.

But Chicago Fire doesn’t do clean breaks. It does explosions. Regret. Silence.

And with Severide and Kidd walking into parenthood during a department-wide audit, the question isn’t “will they survive”—it’s “what part of them will break first?”

Season 14 is setting fire to comfort zones.
Old faces are out. New dangers are in. And for the first time, even the strongest characters are showing cracks.

So when Firehouse 51 is forced to choose between loyalty and survival, which firefighter will walk away from the flames… and which will get burned?