Aug 20, 2007 8:26 pm US/Eastern
Anger, Dismay In Aftermath Of Firefighters' Deaths
Funeral Arrangements Set For Graffagnino, Beddia
by Andrew Kirtzman
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Joseph Graffagnino and Robert Beddia inhaled smoke and died of cardiac arrest after battling a blaze at the former Deutsche Bank building.
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The Deustche Bank building that was damaged during the 9/11 attacks caught fire on Aug. 18, 2007.
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Black and purple bunting was draped over the door of the brick firehouse in Greenwich Village that lost two firefighters battling a seven-alarm fire at the former Deutsche Bank building.
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The vacant Deutsche Bank skyscraper burns in Lower Manhattan opposite Ground Zero in New York on Aug. 18, 2007.
Nicholas Roberts/AFP/Getty Images
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New York Fire Department vehicles pack the streets near the vacant Deutsche Bank skyscraper as it burned in Lower Manhattan opposite Ground Zero in New York on Aug. 18, 2007.
Nicholas Roberts/AFP/Getty Images
They were responding to calls at Engine 24 and Ladder 5 on Monday as normal. But there was nothing normal about the day.
Firefighters were grieving the loss of two brothers. And visitors were laying down flowers. Some were sad, while others were angry.
"It wasn't necessary for them to go up there when it was dangerous," Emily Gayle said. "They should have knocked the building a long time ago."
The fallen were Robert Beddia, 53, a veteran firefighter and Joseph Graffagnino, his youthful counterpart on the cusp of his 34th birthday.
Lisa Giunta served Beddia at Arturo's restaurant.
"We lost a great man, a wonderful man, a great firefighter," Giunta said.
She remembers how he helped the firehouse rebound after the Sept. 11 attacks.
"He was very humble," Giunta said. "He was teaching the new guys the ropes, the new guys, because we lost 11 men at our house."
Graffagnino was a Brooklyn boy, who tended bar part-time at the Salty Dog Tavern.
"He was the best guy, easy going, fun," bartender Matt D'emic said.
This firehouse is more than a mile away from ground zero, but it's linked inextricably to it. On Sept. 11, it lost 11 men. On that same morning, then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani had its front door broken into to allow him to call the White House.
Now it's linked to yet more tragedy at ground zero. The bunting hangs once more and the flags have been lowered to half-mast.
The FDNY said the funeral for Graffagnino will be held Thursday at Saint Ephrem's Church in Brooklyn. The funeral for Beddia will be Friday at Saint Patrick's Cathedral.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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