Worcester to honor 6 firefighters killed in 1999 warehouse fire

WORCESTER – A somber ceremony will be held Tuesday marking 25 years since six firefighters were killed in the massive Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse fire.
Lt. Thomas Spencer, Lt. Timothy Jackson Sr., Lt. James Lyons III and firefighters Jeremiah Lucey, Paul Brotherton, and Joseph McGuirk became trapped in the fire on December 3, 1999 and were killed.
According to investigators, the fire was started by two homeless people.
A ceremony that is open to the public is being held Tuesday at 6 p.m.
The ceremony is being held at the Worcester Fire Department station at 266 Franklin Street which was built at the site of the fire in 2008.
As part of the vigil, a moment of silence will be held at 6:13 p.m., which is when the first alarm was sounded as the fire started.
Wreaths will also be laid in memory of each firefighter, and there will be a 21-gun salute.
A pop-up exhibit honoring the fallen firefighters opened Monday at Union Station in Washington Square. It is open until 6 p.m. on Tuesday and again on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Retired firefighters are managing the exhibit, which tells the story of each firefighter.
Lucey was actor Denis Leary’s cousin. Leary, a Worcester native, also grew up friends Spencer.
Inspired by the firefighters’ deaths, the actor created the Leary Firefighters Foundation, which raises money and resources for departments around the country.