On Wednesday, New Tripoli firefighters Marvin Gruber and Assistant Chief Zachary Paris died from injuries they suffered while fighting a fire on Clamtown Road, West Penn Township, Schuylkill County.
Roughly an hour into the call, both firefighters issued a mayday while searching for a reported entrapped person on the second floor. RIT members rescued both firefighters but they would later pass away at St. Lukes Miners Campus in Coaldale.
Late Wednesday evening, the bodies of both firefighters were transferred from the hospital to the Schuylkill County Coroner's Office in New Philadelphia.
Midday Thursday, Schuylkill County 911 put out an alert to all first responders in the county that their bodies would be transferred back to Lehigh County this afternoon.
At 2:30pm, the procession began and followed Route 209 back to Tamaqua then south on Route 309 to Hartman Funeral Home, where the bodies were transferred to Lehigh County officials.
87 apparatus, including fire companies, police, rescue, ambulance, and State Police followed the two hearses that carried the bodies of the two fallen firefighters. Other apparatus lined the highway and created archways and saluted as the process passed.
Hundreds of county residents also lined the route to pay their respects and to salute the two brave heroes that gave their lives to the fire service.
Continue to follow Skook News as more information becomes available on services for both firefighters.
More photos to be posted later.
Photos below by Jocelyn Blum/Danie Mae Photography/Skook News
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