Funeral Held For 1st of 2 Boston Firefighters

Updated April 02, 2014

WBUR News & Wire Services

Robert Malone, the nephew of Lt. Edward Walsh, salutes as his uncle's fire helmet is carried into St. Patrick's Church in Watertown Wednesday morning. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

A 43-year-old Boston firefighter killed with a colleague as they fought a nine-alarm apartment fire last week is being laid to rest.

Lt. Edward Walsh died alongside 33-year-old Firefighter Michael Kennedy when they became trapped in the March 26 blaze at a Back Bay area brownstone building. He was married with three children all under the age of 10.

The casket of Lt. Ed Walsh mounted atop Engine 33 as it approaches St. Patrick's Church in Watertown. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Walsh's funeral Mass took place Wednesday morning at St. Patrick's Church in suburban Watertown, where he grew up.

Thousands, including firefighters from across the country, attended his wake Tuesday and his funeral Wednesday.

Walsh will be buried next to his father, a Watertown firefighter.

Kennedy's wake is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. His funeral is Thursday in Boston's West Roxbury neighborhood.

Fire department chaplains will conduct the funerals.

With reporting from the Associated Press and the WBUR newsroom.

This article was originally published on April 02, 2014.