Community welcomes home fallen firefighters
BY DEBRA PALMIERI
The Northwestern Lehigh community, fellow firefighters and EMS crews from across three counties and beyond welcomed home fallen New Tripoli volunteer firefighters Marvin Gruber, 59, and First Assistant Chief Zachary Paris, 36, with a procession of fire trucks and Cetronia and Northern Valley ambulance corps vehicles led by the Pennsylvania State Police during the late afternoon of Dec. 8.
Included in the procession were fire trucks from Lynnport, Germansville, Weisenberg, Friedens, Station 33 Richmond, Perry and Windsor townships, Virginville, Kutztown 46, Slatedale, Slatington and Bowmanstown, to name just a few.
A Life Flight helicopter flew overhead as the procession traveled along Route 309, New Tripoli.
The solemn line of vehicles, aglow with flashing lights, proceeded from New Philadelphia, Schuylkill County, down Routes 309 and 100, along Tilghman Street, to the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and Forensics Center, South Whitehall.
Gruber and Paris died in a West Penn Township fire that broke out around 4 p.m. Dec. 7 in a house at 1121 Clamtown Road.
Two West Penn Township firefighters were treated for injuries, one of whom was transported to a hospital and placed in intensive care.
On Dec. 8, West Penn Township Police Chief James Bonner identified Christopher Kammerdiener, a resident of the home, as the man whose body was found to the rear of the property.
Police did not say how he died.
He also noted the fire is being investigated as suspicious.
The investigation into the cause is being handled by the State Police Fire Marshal Janssen Herb, of Troop L, Reading; the ATF; West Penn Township Police; and Pennsylvania State Police.
Pennsylvania State Trooper First Class Nathan Branosky, Troop M, Bethlehem, led an 11 a.m. news conference at the New Tripoli Fire Company on Dec. 8.
He was joined at the lectern by Fire Chief Gary Kuntz Jr. and Don Smith of the Lehigh County Communications Center.
State Troopers were posted in the parking lot from 7 p.m. Dec. 7, assisting with directing traffic, answering questions and providing support.
Smith gave a brief review of circumstances surrounding the house fire.
He noted that Paris, who has served with the New Tripoli Fire Company since 2010, is survived by his wife, two daughters, parents and a sister.
Gruber, who has been a firefighter with New Tripoli since 2020, has worked for 22 years at Northampton Community College in the Public Safety Department as the assistant chief of public safety.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss,” Smith said. “These fire company members made the ultimate sacrifice.
“They are truly heroes.”
Branosky then spoke to those gathered outside the fire company.
“The Pennsylvania State Police’s thoughts and prayers are with the New Tripoli community.”
He also said the West Penn Police Department is the lead agency investigating the fire in which the two firefighters died.