A heartbreaking day in the Parkway

While fire investigators worked on Thursday morning to determine the cause of a fatal fire at the Tai Ho restaurant that killed two veteran Boston firefighters, mourners gathered along Centre Street to pay their respects.

Firemen from as far away from New Hampshire, families from numerous Boston neighborhoods and a few politicians were among the crowd, mingling in disbelief behind lines of police tape. On the sidewalk near the Roche Center sat a table offering pretzels, donuts and bottled water to workers, some of whom had toiled through the night.

The two firefighters killed in the blaze were Paul J. Cahill, 55, of Scituate and Warren J. Payne, 53, of Canton. Cahill joined the BFD in 1993; Payne in 1988. They entered the building with hoses in hand, believing they would find a “standard” kitchen fire. Instead, they were met with a ball of flames followed by the collapse of the roof.

As firefighters from Canton drapped black banners across the Centre Street firehouse that was home to Payne and Cahill, Caroline Maloney of West Roxbury stopped by with her children. The younger Maloneys, Jack, 3, and Claire, 1, placed red and white carnations outside the station that is a few blocks from the spot where two Boston firefighters died in the line of duty for the first time since 1994. Outside the station was a growing collection of flowers and cards in memory of the fallen firefighters.

The Maloneys were joined by Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon, who said that after viewing the scene, he would visit the mother of one of the victims in Roxbury.

“We need to express our condolences and sypmathies and focus on how this could have been prevented,” said Yoon, stressing that he hoped to soon understand how the fire started. 

Yoon’s sentiments were echoed by his colleague, John Tobin, who represents West Roxbury on the council. At the time the flames started spreading, Tobin, like many of the onlookers, was watching the Red Sox play the Yankees in Roslindale. He said someone came in and told him, “You better get over to Centre Street.”

It was around 9:30 when he arrived at the restuarnt where he said he frequently gets takeout food.

“You get to know these guys. They might be hanging out at the station and then two minutes later they’re saving lives,” said Tobin.

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According to officials, it only took two minutes for the firefighters from Engine 30/Ladder 25 to reach the scene.

As news helicopters ciricled, Karen Dolan of West Roxbury wondered when the overhead choppers would leave the area. She had come to Centre Street with her daughter, Marianne, 8, and her friend, Maria Gallant, 9. The two girls, who attend the Holy Name School that abuts the Tai Ho restaurant, said it was helpful to see what was going on.

“It’s better to see what’s going on,” said the younger Dolan, whose mother said the girls just wanted to see for themselves what was going on after hearing countless sirens and smelling the charred dining spot where they too got takeout.

“You could smell the smoke last night,” said Gallant before the girls told the elder Dolan that they insisted on staying “a little longer” while boards were placed where the building’s windows once were.

Sean Kelleher also stopped by on his lunch break from a Verizon project in Roslindale. Kelleher, of Dedham, noted how West Roxbury would have to deal with the loss of its firefighers just as New Yorkers coped with the passing of over 300 firefightes on September 11.

“The community is going to feel the loss forever,” said Kelleher.

Jessica Smith can be reached at jsmith@cnc.com