To commemorate 25 years since six firemen lost their lives in the devastating Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse fire, a solemn service was held on Tuesday.
On December 3, 1999, firefighters Jeremiah Lucey, Paul Brotherton, and Joseph McGuirk, together with Lt. Thomas Spencer, Lt. Timothy Jackson Sr., and Lt. James Lyons III, were trapped in the fire and perished.
Investigators said that two homeless people sparked the fire.
Ceremony for the fire at Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse
Constructed at the location of the 2008 fire, the Worcester Fire Department station at 266 Franklin Street served as the venue for the ceremony.
The fire station has a permanent memorial outside. Assistant Worcester Fire Chief Adam Roche stated, “It truly is a memorial that displays the sacrifice that six men made.” “As generations pass, we’re getting further and further away from the anniversary of this… it’s very important that we don’t forget the sacrifices made.” At 6:13 p.m., when the first fire alarm was triggered, there was a moment of silence as part of the vigil.
At 6:13 p.m., when the first fire alarm was triggered, there was a moment of silence as part of the vigil.
There was also a 21-gun salute and wreaths laid in honor of each fireman.
“I remember the wives of the firefighters coming up to me that night, asking if their husbands were OK. More importantly, I remember how this community came together,” Mayor Joseph Petty stated.
The warehouse fire was attended by Ronald DeFusco, a retired Worcester firefighter. “It still haunts me, it still does,” DeFusco concluded.
He remembered the desperate attempt to save his coworkers.
“They started recovery. They knew that things were tough. So even at that they didn’t stop, not one second. Nobody backed up,” DeFusco stated. “It’s a little emotional to know that all the efforts sometimes you don’t make it.”
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Firefighters killed pop-up display
Union Station in Washington Square presented a pop-up display on Monday in remembrance of the firemen who lost their lives. On Wednesday, it will be open from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The museum, which narrates each firefighter’s tale, is run by retired firefighters. The fire is still vivid in the memories of people who witnessed it twenty-five years later.
“Once the fire started getting going, it was black, black, black smoke it was black as night. They all got lost and they couldn’t find their way out,” Retired Worcester Fire Lt. John Elliot stated.
The following week was quite agonizing, according to Elliot. “The eight days that followed were cruel. We were searching for them every day.
Being at home was disliked by everyone. All I did when I got home was cry. “I’m starting to feel a little emotional,” Elliot remarked. “We just dug and tried to find anything we could find to give it back to the family.”
