Four Houston Firefighters Remembered During Memorial

Memorial participants will march under the tower of honor before entering Reliant Stadium

AP Houston, TX (June 5, 2013 )-- Thousands of firefighters from across the country, many with badges shrouded in black, joined Houston residents Wednesday to honor the four firefighters killed last week in a massive hotel fire.

The Houston firefighters who lost their lives during a building collapse are:

-Captain EMT Matthew Renaud (35) of Station 68
-Engineer/Operator EMT Robert Bebee (41) of Station 51
-Firefighter EMT Robert Garner (29) of Station 68
-Probationary Firefighter Anne Sullivan (24) of Station 68

As many as 40,000 people gathered in Reliant Stadium to remember the four who died Friday - the deadliest day in the Houston Fire Department's 118-year history. Before it began, dozens of fire trucks and emergency services vehicles from New Orleans, Dallas and elsewhere formed a long procession on flag-lined streets leading to the stadium.

 Opening and closing prayers were led by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Investigators at the scene of the five-alarm blaze at the Southwest Inn have said they are focusing on an attic and the kitchen area of a restaurant connected to the motel. Deputy Chief Ed Arthur, who heads the department's arson division, said Tuesday he expected the physical examination of the rubble to take about 10 days but a report of the findings could take months.

"The investigation is dedicated to our heroes, our fallen firefighter friends," he said.

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