December 4, 2025 — The Readsboro Fire Department joined fire departments across the region on December 4 in honoring the memory of the six Worcester firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty during the 1999 Cold Storage and Warehouse fire in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Known throughout the fire service as the Worcester Six, the fallen firefighters—Jeremiah Lucey, Paul Brotherton, Joseph McGuirk, Thomas Spencer, Timothy Jackson, and James Lyons—made the ultimate sacrifice while attempting to locate two missing firefighters inside the abandoned warehouse on December 3, 1999. Their loss marked one of the deadliest fires for firefighters in modern U.S. history and forever changed training, tactics, and safety practices nationwide.

On this day of remembrance, the Readsboro Fire Department reaffirmed a commitment shared by firefighters everywhere: to never forget those who answered the call and did not return home. The legacy of the Worcester Six continues to guide training, decision-making, and the deep bond within the fire service.

“Never forget” is more than a phrase—it is a promise, department members said, reflecting on the lessons learned and the lives remembered.