Mourners gather in New Tripoli to honor firefighters

Dec. 17—NEW TRIPOLI — Hundreds of mourners lined up this chilly morning outside Northwestern Lehigh Middle School to pay their respects to two fallen firefighters.

Marvin Gruber, 59, and Zachary T. A. Paris, 36, died Dec. 7 while responding to a 3-alarm fire at 1121 Clamtown Road in West Penn Township, Schuylkill County.

They were members of Community Fire Company in New Tripoli, where Paris served as assistant chief. He was also a career firefighter in Frederick County, Maryland.

Due to the overwhelming outpouring of support, the viewing and funeral service is being held in the school auditorium. A public viewing is being held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., with private services for Lehigh County public service members and members of Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services is scheduled for noon to 2 p.m.

With a large number of expected to attend, a 2 p.m. funeral service will be livestreamed at various locations on the school's campus. Those unable to attend can view the livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtPPBnv1nBU.

Gruber and Paris became entrapped in the burning structure, and were rescued by specially trained firefighters. They were pronounced dead at St. Luke's Miners Campus in Coaldale, where they had been taken.

Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio ruled they died of asphyxia and thermal injuries.

A firefighter since the age of 15, Paris became a career firefighter in September at the Green Valley Station in Maryland. He commuted to his new post, while still serving in New Tripoli.

He leaves behind a wife and two children in New Tripoli.

Gruber, who grew up on a farm in New Tripoli, served as assistant chief at the former Northwestern Ambulance Corps. He had been assistant chief of public safety at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem.

Gruber was a deacon at Ebenezer UCC church in New Tripoli, where he was honored Wednesday during a private service at the church. He is survived by his wife, Karen, to whom he was married for 35 years.

The circumstances that led to the firefighters being entrapped remain under investigation by the West Penn Township police department.

Complicating the investigation is the death of Christopher Kammerdiener, 35, who apparently had taken his own life a short distance behind the burning house. He resided there with an uncle, Bernard Kammerdiener.

Trooper John Burns, fire marshal at the state police barracks in Frackville, has yet to rule on the cause of the fire.

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007