Thousands Honor Fallen Firefighter Glenn Allen
A fire truck carrying the remains of fallen Los Angeles Firefighter Glenn Allen passes in review outside the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Thousands of mourners gathered downtown to honor Glenn Allen, the Los Angeles Firefighter who was fatally injured while fighting a fire in the Hollywood Hills last week.
The 61-year-old Allen was trapped under a collapsed section of the water-logged roof of the building, located near Sunset Plaza. He was not breathing when he was pulled from the debris last week and was pronounced dead at hospital two days later (listen to the dispatch as it went down).
A 38-year veteran on the force, Allen was about a year from retirement. His daughter gave birth to his first grandson the day after he died. 8,000 spectators, 200 dignitaries, about 200 fire apparatus and over 100 agencies from all over the country attended the 2-hour procession.
Video by Martin Beck.
Per the LAFD news release:
Glenn L. Allen was a Firefighter/Paramedic for over 36 years and last served at Fire Station 97. He is the 61st Los Angeles Firefighter to have died while directly involved in emergency operations during the Department's 125-year history. The Mayor of Los Angeles has ordered all City flags lowered to half-staff in Firefighter Allen's honor.
The cause of the February 16th fire remains under investigation.
Allen was the first Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter to be killed in the line of duty since March 2008, when Brent Louvrien died following an explosion.