Why did they kill off Yuri Saradov's Otis on Chicago Fire? Character's fate and character's exit explored

Yuri Saradov played Brain Otis Zvonecek in Chicago Fire for seven seasons. Otis became one of the show's most loved characters for his kindness, empathetic attitude, and friendly personality.

Otis was an all-rounder- a firefighter of Firehouse 51, a podcaster, and the co-owner of Molly's (a bar). Viewers loved his brotherly bond with Joe Cruz. Unfortunately, in the Chicago Fire Season 8 premiere, the makers decided to write off Yuri Saradov's character, Otis, from the show.

Showrunner Derek Hass, in an interview with TVLine, explained they decided to kill Otis in Chicago Fire to add emotional depth to the plot.

Hass also pointed out that Otis's death served as a reminder to the viewers of the risks fire fighters take to save lives. Additionally, Otis's accidental death brought some major changes in Joe Cruz's character arc as he struggled with his best mate's death for the rest of the season.

NBC's popular police procedural drama, Chicago Fire, is based on the lives of a group of frontline workers. It delves into the personal and professional lives of the firefighters, paramedic team, and rescue operators of Firehouse 51 of the Chicago Fire Department.

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How did Otis die in Chicago Fire?

Brain Otis Zvonecek succumbed to the severe burn and injuries caused by the boiler explosion in a mattress factory. His tragic end left everyone in Firehouse 51 devastated, especially his best friend Joe Cruz.

In the Chicago Fire Season 7 finale titled 'I am not Leaving You,' Otis was left seriously injured in the mattress factory fire explosion. As the team of Firehouse 51 tried to stop the blaze, the underground boiler exploded, leaving Otis's fate uncertain. In Chicago Fire Season 8, titled Sacred Ground, when Joe Cruz realized Otis was trapped near the boiler and was not responding to the alarm, he called for help.

The team rescued Otis and rushed him to the medical center. In the ambulance, Cruz ripped open Otis's jacket and found that his chest was completely burnt.

When the team reached the hospital, the doctors informed Chief Boden that Otis was critical. In Otis's dying moments, Cruz told Otis how much he loved him like a brother and that he was going to miss him. Otis's last words to Cruz were, 'Brother, I will always be with you,' and that deeply impacted Joe throughout the season.

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Yuri Saradov and showrunner Derek Hass on Otis's death in Chicago Fire

Showrunner Derek Hass, in an interview with TVLine, briefly explained Otis was written off to maintain the authenticity of the show, ie, to portray the risks taken by the first responders. He told TVLine the reason they chose Yuri Saradov's character to die instead of a relatively new cast member,

"Because he lives with Joe and Brett, and he's on Matt Casey's truck, and he's in Boden's house, and he's best friends with Mouch and owns a bar with Herrmann. There are a million feelings that everybody has from a guy who's have been on the from show the first scene"

Hass also revealed how graciously Saradov reacted when Hass broke the news of his character's death.

In an interview with ScreenRant, Saradov opened up about his experience in Chicago Fire. He said,

"Chicago Fire, man, I miss those folks. I had such a great time filming it for nearly a decade of my life."

When Saradov was asked about whether he wants to go back to Chicago Fire, he told ScreenRant,

"Oh yeah! Oh my God. Look, that's my family. We got so close on that set, and I just saw a bunch of them the other week. And I would do it in a heartbeat, just because I miss everybody, and I love everybody. It was just such a pleasant set to be on."

Whether Otis will be making a mysterious comeback in Chicago Fire or not, to know more about what's happening in the Firehouse 51, watch Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 17, A Beast Like This, on April 2, 2025, at 9:00 PM ET only on NBC.

Also read: Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 17: Release date news, time, streaming details and more