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CNN Live At Daybreak

Large Turnout Expected for Funeral of New York Firefighters

Aired June 21, 2001 - 08:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to suburban New York City: A big turnout of firefighters and public officials is expected today on Long Island. They will be paying their respects to two of the three New York City firefighters killed Sunday while battling a hardware store fire in Queens.

One funeral will be held this morning, another this afternoon.

CNN's Jason Carroll is in Long Beach for us and joins us now.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Colleen, this is a sad day for firefighters and for the city of New York. As you can see, some of the fire trucks have started to move in. They will take place and will be participating in the funeral procession, which will take place here at St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church.

I want to start out, Colleen, by showing you some of the men that are involved in this. First, we have Harry Ford. He is 50 years old. He is, by all accounts -- took great pride in being a firefighter. He is survived by his wife Denise and their three children.

Also we have Brian Fahey, a 46-year-old -- unofficial name "Chubby." Apparently, he liked the nickname and his work. He is survived by his wife Mary and three children as well. A service for him will take place later this afternoon.

And, finally, we have John Downing. He was 40 years old. And, Colleen, he was just 90 minutes away from taking a vacation to Ireland with his family when he was called to fight that fire in Queens. A service for him will take place tomorrow.

Now, last night, a wake was held for Ford. And his three children, they apparently left notes for him saying thanks for that trip to Florida. That's in reference to a family trip they had all taken to Disney World. It was very sad.

Now, some 10,000 firefighters from all over the country are expected to attend these services out here today and tomorrow, including firefighters from Worcester, Massachusetts. And they all are too familiar with what kind of a tragedy this is. Just six of their firefighters were killed in a fire battling a warehouse blaze. That was back in 1999.

Just to recap what happened here in New York, the three men were killed when they were battling a fire at a hardware store in Queens. That was on Father's Day. Apparently, two kids were out there playing around. They tipped over a can of gasoline. And that ignited the fire.

Now, this church here, Saint Ignatius Roman Catholic Church, only holds about 700 people. But, again, thousands are expected to attend. They'll be lining the streets out here. They have -- they have speakers out here. So everyone will be able to pay their respects and hear what's going on inside -- Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: All right, CNN's Jason Carroll, thanks very much.

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