When a fire claims one of their own, there's plenty of guilt and blame to go around. Lt. Matthew Casey, in charge of the Truck, tries to carry on, but butts heads with the brash Lt. Kelly Severide of the Rescue Squad - and each blames the other for their fallen team member. The firehouse also includes: Battalion Chief Wallace Boden, a fireman's fireman who is confronted by important personal decisions; paramedics Gabriela Dawson and Leslie Shay, who share a close bond and team together to face some of the most harrowing situations imaginable; Peter Mills, an academy graduate who is the latest generation in a family of firefighters; and Christopher Herrmann, a seasoned veteran who loses his home to foreclosure and now must uproot his family to move in with his in-laws.

Severide is hiding a serious shoulder injury sustained in the fire that killed Andy Darden, and grapples with his guilt as he fights to rescue a construction worker trapped in a building collapse. Adding to the burden, Darden's wife Heather turns on Severide at the annual firefighters' barbecue, blaming him for her husband's death. A call is made to an accident site at Hancock Tower, where two teenagers are pinned in a vehicle trapped beneath the falling debris of a broken window washer's cart. Meanwhile, Casey and Hallie work to figure out their future together.

An arsonist targets Lt. Severide. Meanwhile, Station 51 is under scrutiny by Gail McLeod, a financial consultant for the city who is deciding if any firehouses should be closed. Mouch receives a visit from his Japanese girlfriend, Lt. Casey "celebrates the one-year anniversary of Andy's death, and Shay suspects Severide's paternity.

In the wake of Heather's incident, Lt. Casey is having a hard time handling his newfound responsibilities. Lt. Severide is on edge dreading the next attack from the firehouse's arsonist. Meanwhile, with Renee back from her mother's, Severide knows he has to confront her about his paternity suspicions. Elsewhere, Mouch begins his campaign for union president and Shay and Dawson feel that they need to get out more.

Lt. Severide has his strong ideas on who the serial arsonist is, but first needs to find proof to back up his suspicions. Meanwhile, Lt. Casey adjusts to his new lifestyle in the wake of recent events and Molly's bar is failing, much to the dismay of owners Hermann, Dawson and Otis. Elsewhere, Dawson goes out on a date with Jay Halstead, one of the bar regulars, and Mouch's campaign trail starts to get on track with the aid of Isabella, an old friend of Dawson's.

Boden's future with Firehouse 51 is on the line and McLeod keeps on him about his past wrongdoings, pushing him toward an early retirement. With Boden considering his options, McLeod calls on an unlikely candidate to potentially replace him as Chief. Meanwhile, it becomes clearer who the mole inside the firehouse is and everyone takes measures to make their disdain for him known. Meanwhile, Shay's social life is in full bloom and Arthur continues to take money from the struggling Molly's.

When a tanker collides into a commuter train that subsequently crashes into a warehouse, the firehouse is called to the horrific scene that tests everyone to the limits as life and death hangs in the balance. With the ultimatum in place for him or the firehouse, Boden is tasked with making life-changing decisions regarding his future. Severide learns more about Katie, the young woman he saw with his father. Meanwhile, Shay and Dawson are still at odds and Casey’s responsibility of being a surrogate father takes a sharp turn.