Community prepares to honor fallen York firefighters
York City firefighters Ivan Flanscha, 50, of Red Lion (left), and Zachary Anthony, 29, of York, will be memorialized this Wednesday at York Fairgrounds. (Photo: submitted)
At 11:45 a.m., doors to Memorial Hall open. All attendees are to enter expo center through gate 9:00 a.m. on Carlisle Avenue
(York) — This morning on West Market Street in York, the arms of two ladder trucks will extend into the sky, forming an arch, with an American flag draped between them.
Just before noon, the families of fallen York firefighters Ivan Flanscha and Zachary Anthony will pass through the arch on their way to the public memorial for the firefighters at the York Expo Center, York City Deputy Fire Chief Chad Deardorff said Tuesday.
“It’s to honor our deceased,” he said.
Then, inside the grounds, there will be a phalanx of fire trucks lined up in remembrance of the firefighters.
On March 22, the two York City firefighters — Anthony, 29, of York, and Flanscha, 50, of Red Lion — died when part of the old Weaver Organ and Piano building ravaged by a fire the day before, collapsed. The two were the first York firefighters to die in the line of duty since 1971.
York City Fire Chief David Michaels said Monday that two others caught in the collapse — Greg Altland and Erik Swanson — were released from York Hospital late Friday. They both suffered cuts, bruises and soreness.
Procession for Ivan Flanscha
Community members gathered on Tuesday morning at Continental Square to watch the funeral procession for Flanscha, which headed south on North George Street, then west on West Market Street.
People packed every corner, gazing at the procession led by police motorcycles and followed by police and fire vehicles. Their sirens pierced the air.
Public memorial service
Philip Given, chief of staff for York Mayor Michael Helfrich, asked that for Wednesday’s ceremony, those planning to attend should be patient both arriving and exiting the expo center.
“Obviously, it’s a large number of vehicles to get into the expo center at one time,” he said.
At 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, doors to Memorial Hall, where the memorial is to be held, will open. All attendees are to enter the expo center through gate 9 on Carlisle Avenue.
Then tomorrow, there will be a funeral procession through part of the city for Anthony, Given said.
Investigation continues
The ATF’s investigation into the cause and origin of the fire continued Tuesday, with a company of agents using metal rakes to pull apart debris. They were assisted by a giant crane with a claw on its end.
Looming behind them were the four floors of the Weaver building, torn open by the fire and subsequent collapse.
ATF agent Charlene Hennessy said Monday that Anthony and Flanscha, along with the two others who were injured, were on the fourth floor of the building in the 100 block of North Broad Street, extinguishing remnants of the fire when the floor collapsed.
ATF officials could not be reached Tuesday.
This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The York Daily Record.
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