3 More Firefighters’ Bodies Recovered

The remains of three of the six firefighters killed in a huge warehouse blaze were found Saturday.

The body of Paul A. Brotherton, 41, discovered about 9:30 p.m., was the sixth to be found. Officials said he and another firefighter had gone into the building Dec. 3 to search for homeless people, and family members believe it was his voice heard over the radio, crying out, “Mayday! Mayday! We’re running out of air!”

“It’s a very difficult day, but hopefully it’s one more step towards closure in this tragic incident,” state Fire Marshal Stephen Coan said before the Saturday funeral of firefighter Timothy P. Jackson, 51, whose body was found two days after the blaze.

Early Saturday, the body of Lt. Thomas E. Spencer, 42, was found in the middle of the collapsed ruins of the five-story, brick warehouse, said District Chief Walter Giard.

Later in the morning, a body was discovered near an exterior wall, Giard said. The body was identified later as that of Jeremiah M. Lucey, 38.

On the day of the fire, Brotherton and another firefighter entered the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Co. building, looking for homeless people who lived there. The searchers became overwhelmed by smoke and called for help. Four firefighters sent to find them disappeared as well.

Jackson’s remains were pulled from the rubble on Sunday. The remains of James Lyons III, 34, were recovered Wednesday. On Friday night, the body of firefighter Joseph T. McGuirk, 38, was found not far from the spot where Spencer’s body was found.