15 years ago this evening I stood on I-290 in Worcester and watched the Cold Storage Warehouse burn. We (State Police) had shut down the highway due to the size of the fire and the massive heat, which bent steel girders on the 290 bridge over 100 feet away. We knew that 6 brave firefighters were lost inside, but it wasnt until later that we knew their names. And that was when the bottom fell out because several were my friends, including Jay Lyons who was my academy classmate (before he returned to Worcester Fire) and Tom Spencer who was a lector at my church. Several other Troopers who were also close with the WFD joined me over the next week, staying 10-16 hours a day at the site during recovery operations, just to be there. There was nowhere else we could possibly be but right there while their comrades dug through the rubble to locate the Worcester Six. Anyone there will remember two things. Seeing so many people walking around in a fog without saying a word. And the sound of the air horns when a recovery was made. The Firefighters from various departments around the state assisting in the recovery would clear the pile of rubble and be replaced by the Worcester FD. A litter would carry the remains past a cordon of Firefighters rendering a salute and into the medical examiner van, and then the digging would begin anew. It was a surreal experience. Many of the Firefighters would work their station for a shift and then spend all of their time off at the scene digging. They were relentless in their determination to get their buddies to their families for a proper burial. As the week dragged on and the funeral services began, we were honored to be on the State Police color guard for the funerals of the fallen, and at the memorial service attended by President Clinton and VP Gore. Our inclusion was an honor I will forever be grateful to Worcester Fire for, but our relationship with them has always been very close. May God continue to bring blessings on Tom Spencer, Jay Lyons, Tim Jackson, Joe McGuirk, Jerry Lucey, and Paul Brotherton and their families. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten by the City of Seven Hills, and beyond. A new fire station was built on the site of this tragedy so this hallowed ground will be occupied by their sisters and brothers of the fire service for years to come. A fitting tribute. I will visit this site today and offer a prayer for my friends. Every great American city has at least one hero. Worcester has six.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 13:45:10 +0000
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